Shayna Swanson (artistic director, dancer, choreographer) has been creating and performing inventive aerial works for over 9 years. Growing up as a gymnast and a dancer, aerial dance was the logical career step. She began her training at Do Jump! in Portland, Oregon and on a trapeze hung from a tree in her back yard. Unfortunately she failed to realize the career implications of this until after spending 5 years obtaining a BS in Sociology. She moved to England to attend circus school after graduating from university and intensively studied aerial hoop, trapeze, rope, tumbling and stilts. Since returning to the States she has kept overly busy performing and teaching with The Midnight Circus, Circus Smirkus, Cirque de la Mer/Sea World, Circesteem, The Lyric Opera, and numerous corporate clients from Air France to Ford and many more. Shayna can present acts on all aerial equipment as well as stilts.

Kimberly Olsen-Wheeler (dancer): Kimberly skated competitively for 12 years, throughout this time studying ballet and ethnic dance. While looking for something new she stumbled into the world of circus arts and the Midnight Circus, performing with them at the Chicagoween festival in Daley Plaza and the opening of Millennium Park ice rink. Along with occasional corporate gigs and burlesque adventures, Kimberly spent the summer working on swinging trapeze and aerial silks at Sea World San Antonio. She trains with Norboul Miermienov, Shayna Swanson and the Gaona’s and teaches for Circesteem.Kim can present acts on static trapeze, aerial hoop and fabric.

Beth Stare (dancer): Beth is a California native aerial dance artist. She enjoys creative movement, expressions, and exploring the vertical dance floor. Her creative drive is matched only by her awe-inspiring work ethic. She is inspired by music, loves to live life to it’s fullest and is, at every moment of life, working on something new. She is safety oriented and is motivated to train others to be safe with their bodies. You may find Beth around town swinging from trapezes above rock bands, performing at Vaudeville Underground, dancing with bungee cords or teaching trapeze workshops. Recently she was a featured aerialist for the Lyric Opera of Chicago and in Ameba’s “On the Rise” and is a full company member and Shayna’s right-hand woman in Aloft Aerial Dance. Beth can present acts on Static trapeze, rope and harness and bungee trapeze.

Ariele Ebacher (Dancer): Ariele is a wire-dancer by training. She has wowed audianced with The Midnight Circus, Circus Smirkus, the San Diego Zoo and more. Her extensive background in dance and natural strength and grace have made her transition to aerial dance a breeze. And she's a fantastic juggler and holds handstands longer than most people can stand on one foot. While in Chicago she works as a coach for Circesteem and teaches wire privately. Sadly for us, she's in Germany for four months. We can't wait for her to come back. Ariele can present a wire walking act in suitable venues.

Elena Kenney (dancer): Elena works in construction by trade and spends time in costume design, puppetry and dance. She began training for trapeze two years ago, and became obsessed with the Spanish Web in the spring, creating an act presented in Aloft’s Summer New Work Showcase, “New Attachments”. She has performed with the Tingle Tangle Menagerie and with Raven Hinojosa in New Orleans and is a full Aloft Company member. Elena’s next goal is to create a duo trapeze act with Raven and tour the world. She also runs Reversable Eye Gallery. Elena can present acts on static trapeze, Spanish Web and silks.

Kara Klein (dancer): Kara is usually seen performing with her friends and fellow founders of the Strange Tree Group or flipping children at My Gym. She was seen earlier this year at the Theatre Building Chicago in the Open House Dance show “R/Evolve”. She has performed on rope and harness at Crobar and on stilts for Reb Bull. Kara also performs with the Amazing, Bendable, Posable Dolls of Doom, Aloft's burlesque sister troupe.

Anita Lambert (Dancer): I live and work downtown Chicago, but I'm originally from a small town outside of Flint, Michigan. As I grew up I always had a swingset that I spent most of my outdoor time on. Eventually one with a trapeze was permanently installed by my father. I think I spent as much time on that as I did sleeping in my bed as I grew up. I am very fortunate to have found Aloft and to have been given the opportunity to work on this show. Previously I have done small amounts of dance and gymnastics, and in high school I dove for my swim team. I went to University of Michigan and finished nursing school and I currently work as a nurse downtown. For my future, I am certainly looking forward to more dance and aerial work and plan to involve myself in further projects of this nature.

Tomoko Horikawa (dancer): Tomoko was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. As a girl she studied various forms of movement. She danced with Fly-By-Night Aerial Dance in New York. Tomoko is a certified instructor in yoga and Makkoho (Japanese stretching exercise) and practitioner in Shiatsu. She also teaches healing movement and dance for the deaf. She offers and has produced multi-media Yoga-Groove and Yoga Tribe Workshops. Tomoko is currently in Japan teaching yoga and we hope she'll come back soon.

Jenn Liang (Dancer, Choreographer): Jenn has been performing as a figure skater and dancer since age 10. She is an expert in American mace and had the honor of serving as drum major of the University of Illinois Marching Illini. She taught mace showmanship and marching technique with Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Clinics for 10 years. Through winterguard, she expanded her twirling skills to include flag, rifle, and sabre by practicing with Tapestry Winterguard and performing with world class Crown Guard. She jumped into the air two years ago and has not looked down since. Jenn was also member of AMEBA Acrobatic and Aerial dance for their last season. Additionally, Jenn moonlights as aerialist Lola Martinet of Cherry Pop Burlesque, a traditional vaudeville burlesque show with a modern twist

Jenn Marschand (Dancer): Jen is the newest addition to Aloft's family. While only expolring aerial work for less than a year, Shayna was so impressed by her natural strength and enthusuasim that she invited her on board. She will be performing with Aloft this Spring in "Telephone" at the Full Circus Dance Festival.

Aloft works with many guest artists, including New Orleans Aerialist Raven Hinojosa, Australian Hula Hooper Lizzy Gifford, and former company member "Tank", who is running away to CircoArts in New Zealand for 2 years. We wish them all well and hope they come back soon.