Meet Our Talented Aerial Dance
Performers and Instructors
Kara Baer
Kara is an aerialist by day and night who teaches dance trapeze, silks, sling, rope, and double point lyra. Her passion for aerial innovation was honed over Level 1 and 2 teacher trainings with Paper Doll Militia, Alex Allan, and Vault Aerial Arts. As a performer, Kara specializes in dazzling blindfolded aerial acts. Kara first found her love for aerial arts in 2011 while taking community classes in Cardiff, Wales. After finishing her Masters degree in Neuroimaging Methods and Applications in 2014, she decided to return to the USA and pursue her dream career as an aerialist. When she isn’t in the air, Kara can be found gaming, playing piano, and hiking.
Sophie Baur
Sophie was introduced to aerial in 2021 and immediately fell in love! It offered her a way to decompress from her day job as an emergency room nurse. Sophie started teaching for ACOD in 2023 after shadowing and learning extensively from Kara Baer. She now coaches a mix of classes including youth, adult, birthday parties, and camps! Although Sophie is passionate about teaching, she also values her own personal aerial education and journey. She trains and takes lessons around 10 hours a week. In addition to aerial, Sophie is an avid piano player, reader, and skier.
Katie Brunner
Katie became immersed in the aerial world in 2009 when she began taking classes at S-Connection Aerial Arts in Gainesville, Florida. She completed her teacher training under the guidance of the Brazilian-trained circus artist Corey David deSouza and relocated to Denver in 2012. Her performance highlights include the 2014 Irish Aerial Dance Festival, 2015 Decadence NYE, and 2016 Colorado Pole Championship. Katie is a passionate teacher, performer, and student of the wide world of circus.
Leah Grandstaff
Leah was introduced to aerial silks in 2013 and began her journey as an aerial coach in 2016. She holds certifications from Aircat Aerial Arts, Aeriality Aerial Yoga, & Air Control Pilates. Leah has been a cast member of the Phantom Circus since 2016 & In the Wings aerial dance company since 2019. She specializes in aerial silks & duo-trapeze and enjoys exploring various apparatuses including sling, lyra, trapeze (dance & static), rope, straps, & just about anything else one can dangle upon.
Nicole Londraville
Nicole was working as a scientist in the Boston area when she took her first aerial class in 2012. She was instantly hooked and began dreaming of running away and joining the circus. For the next five years, Nicole worked in Biotech by day and trained circus nightly. In 2017, she was accepted into the New England Center for Circus Art’s (NECCA) Protrack Program. Without hesitation, she moved to Vermont with her husband, dog, and two cats. There she spent two years training circus full time under NECCA’s world-class coaches. Nicole graduated in June 2019 with a major in aerial rope and minor in cyr wheel. She then moved to Denver and teaches both aerial and cyr wheel!
Nadja Tizer
Nadja is an independent artist and cosmetologist by day and a circus artist by night. Her aerial career began as one of the first students at Aerial Cirque Over Denver, where she went on to become a senior instructor. In 2009, she became a certified aerial yoga instructor. Later, Nadja completed her level one teacher training with Rain Anya/Born to Fly. Nadja’s teaching style is informed and complimented by years as a primary school teacher.
