About Us - Elevated Aerials

Meet The Team

Brittany Naegel – Owner, Instructor & Performer

At a young age, Brittany enjoyed competing on a national award winning rowing team, coaching swim team for her local community center and assisting with as many outdoor team building adventure activities as possible (such as climbing/mountaineering, rappelling, kayaking, etc.). Her love of movement and passion for using adventure to help others realize their full potential began early on.

Brittany took her first aerial lesson in early 2014. After her first touch of the fabric, she was hooked! She began taking classes, training and eventually teaching all over! She believes that everyone has a gift to share, and enjoys sharing her love of the air with all who are willing to explore. Combining her knowledge of the body as a Licensed Massage Therapist with her passion for aerials has enabled her to help others realize their strengths, both inside and out.

Brittany enjoys moving on many unique apparatuses, but her main love will forever be the aerial sling/hammock. Her certifications include aerial teacher training with NECCA, as well as rigging and rope course training with Outward Bound, Delbert Hall, Andrew Bundy and Brett Copes. Certified by the Circus Arts Institute (the first ACE recognized teacher training program in America), Reflex Arts and Cirque-it Fitness.

Brittany is available for performances, aerial instruction (sling, teardrop, vertical dance) & traveling workshops! Email her at Brittany@elevated-aerials.com or visit her website for more info!

Samantha Hancock – Studio Manager, Instructor & Performer

Samantha Hancock loves bringing big ideas to life through movement. As an aerialist, choreographer, and educator, she’s passionate about helping people discover confidence, creativity, and a movement style that feels authentically their own.

At Elevated Aerials, Samantha helps guide the studio’s artistic vision, leads the Lyra program, and mentors both instructors and students through the studio’s mentorship program. She is passionate about creating spaces where students can challenge themselves, collaborate, and discover what’s possible. Whether she’s coaching someone through their first invert or choreographing a theatrical performance, she believes the most meaningful growth happens when strong technique is paired with curiosity, play, and creative exploration.

Outside the studio, Samantha is a curriculum developer and mentor with Paper Doll Militia and co-founder of Aerial Finesse, a creative aerial intensive. Her work continues to explore the intersection of aerial arts and theatre, using movement to tell stories, challenge expectations, and invite audiences to experience the familiar in unexpected ways.

Samantha is a certified instructor through Paperdoll Militia in Level 1 Lyra and Silks, and in Marlo Fisken’s Floor Flow Levels 1 and 2.

“ Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your Soul on Fire!” – Samantha Hancock

Samantha is available for performances, private lessons (lyra, pole, lollipop, floor flow, sling, vertical dance, cube) & traveling workshops! Email her at Samantha@elevated-aerials.com or visit her website for more info!

Kelsey Long – Assistant manager, Instructor & Performer

Kelsey has been involved with the flow and movement arts for over a decade and had her first experience with the aerial arts at Kinetic Fire. She regularly travels to teach and attend flow festivals.

Kelsey’s movement practice took to the air 9 years ago; she has been instructing various forms of aerial for 6.

Kelsey has trained with aerialists from all over, from Floorwork to Lollipop, Sling, Silks, Lyra, and Pole, she believes that everyone has something to share!

Kelsey’s greatest joy is helping others develop their movement practice. She currently holds certifications in Lyra, floorwork, and circuit-style fitness.

”Let your dreams take flight!” – Kelsey Long

Kelsey is available for performances, private lessons (sling, silks, lollipop, lyra), & traveling workshops! Email her at Kelsey@elevated-aerials.com or visit her website for more info!

William Ott – Instructor

William took his first foray into circus arts when he was 16 and a co-worker brought a unicycle to work. Since then he has learned to unicycle, juggle, diabolo, and show off a few skills in German Wheel. William is always open to the opportunity to challenging himself with a new skill.

William discovered aerial arts a few years ago and was immediately drawn in. The versatility of aerials for strength building, achieving greater flexibility, and providing an outlet for artistic expression are all part of what engaged William.

Seeing students develop a movement style unique to themselves is always amazing. The variety of ways that one sequence of moves can be performed, and the complexity of personality, style, and artistic choice that students incorporate into their work is mesmerizing to watch.

William completed his teacher training certification in lyra with Paperdoll Militia.

William is available for private lessons (lyra). Please contact William at william@elevated-aerials.com

Sydney Jones – Instructor

Sydney’s first aerial experience was a pole fitness class in 2009. She couldn’t lift her arms over her head the next day, but she couldn’t wait to get back in the air! She tried silks a year later, which sparked her enduring love affair with fabric apparatuses.

Sydney loves to study all forms of movement, both in the air and on the ground. She combines her passion for travel and aerial arts by frequently studying at aerial studios and retreats around the world. She enjoys learning from different teachers and believes there’s always something new to learn.

Sydney also finds joy in helping others succeed. She finds it incredibly rewarding to watch her students master new skills and discover how movement can unlock creative exploration.

Although Sydney enjoys training on various apparatuses, her favorite is sling. Her certifications include Level 1 Silks Teacher Training with Paper Doll Militia and rigging training with Brett Copes.

Sydney is available for private lessons (sling). Please contact Sydney at Sydney@elevated-aerials.com.