Aerial Arts of Utah’s highly qualified instructors come from a variety of movement backgrounds including modern dance, ballet, yoga, theater and rock climbing. Our teaching focuses on fostering a positive learning environment that encourages safety, physical challenge, and creative expression. Collectively, our instructors have the following advanced level certifications:
- New England Center for Circus Arts (Aerial Fabric and Trapeze Teacher Training)
- Master of Fine Arts in Modern Dance
- Yoga Certification (200 hours)
- AcroYoga Certification
- Laban Movement Analysis/Bartenieff Fundaments Certification
- Safety & Risk Management training with USA Gymnastics (United States gymnastics governing body).
Adriane Colvin
Adriane Colvin is a native of Salt Lake City and grew up in the modern dance and theater world by virtue of her parents who among other sports and talents taught ballroom dancing. As a child she directed many lavish “plays” with her cousins in the backyard which ultimately led to her attending California State University at Long Beach and receiving her BA in Theater Arts. As a gymnast, swimmer, dancer and actor she has always pushed the creative limits of her creative expression.
Her creative expression found new impetus when she began fire dancing in 2004, choreographing fire performers for local and national events and culminating in her current passion of aerial performance and instruction. Having trained with Revolve Aerial Dance, she has had the opportunity to learn from certified aerialists and mentors. She avidly performs at festivals and events all year long. Her concept of dance is to free the body and you will free the mind.
Nancy Carter
Nancy Simpson Carter is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, bodyworker, and aerialist from North Carolina. She came to Salt Lake in 2007 to attend The University of Utah, and earn her MFA in Modern Dance. She completed her Laban Movement Analysis Certification under scholarship through Integrated Movement Studies Program. Nancy is currently a GYROKINESIS® method apprentice, working toward teacher certification.
Nancy has been with Aerial Arts of Utah since 2010. Her circus training has been with Frequent Fliers, New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), Wise Fool, and Revolve Aerial Arts, among others. As a performer and instructor with AAU she specializes in Lyra, Tippy Lyra, and Bungee. She also enjoys performing doubles work, AcroYoga and stilting. Nancy has completed NECCA teacher trainings in Lyra, Trapeze and Fabrics, as well as a Born to Fly teacher training in Rope. Nancy’s other teaching credits include The University of Utah Modern Dance Department, Utah Valley University Dance Department, High School Dance Festival, and Young Dramatic Voices, as well as others around Salt Lake Valley.
In addition to her circus work, Nancy is an avid Contact Improvisation practitioner and performer. In 2019 Nancy won Repertory Dance Theater’s Regalia competition and was subsequently commissioned to choreograph an aerial-modern dance fusion for RDT. Nancy owns her own business, Rumble Motion Massage and Movement, where she practices massage and movement therapy. nancysimpsoncarter.com
Diana Madrian
Diana fell in love with aerial during her very first class at Aerial Arts of Utah in 2011. A Salt Lake City native, she grew up playing sports and creating art, so aerial was the perfect combination of athleticism and creativity for her. She received her first yoga certification in 2011 and has been teaching ever since. Diana has over one thousand hours of yoga teaching experience, and specializes in astanga and vinyasa. Her aerial specialties include static and dance trapeze, duo trapeze, and lyra. She also dabbles in belly dance, fire dancing, and acroyoga. As a teacher, she loves helping others to feel empowered with the strength and grace that develops from training in aerial arts.
Morgan Sjoblom
Patricia Stauffer
Rebecca Higgins
Rebecca’s introduction to aerial arts happened in 2009 at Sugar Space in Salt Lake City. It was love at first grip. The mixture of strength, beauty, creativity, connection and individual artistic expression found in aerial is like nothing else. It’s also a FUN hobby when she is not busy chasing after her young son. Since that first class she has been committed to mastering the static trapeze while also dabbling in lyra, hammock and acroyoga. She honed her skills and performance technique at Aerial Arts of Utah in Sugar House, while also taking classes from TSNY Washington DC, Xelias in Minneapolis, and The Circus Warehouse in NYC. She is excited to be sharing her passion for aerial arts to help others take flight.