The Owners

As of Fall 2020, Manuela and Charles are the owners of Aerotique Columbus! Not just doubles partners, this husband and wife duo has been active in the aerial community and challenge each other to always try new things and cannot wait to share their love of aerial with you.

The Instructors

Manuela Venci

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Manuela has been a part of Aerotique Columbus since June 2018, started teaching in January 2019, and took over ownership in September of 2020. She is a Nimble Arts certified instructor, Spin City Grounded Hoop certified instructor, and teaches aerial hoop and silks for both youth and adults. Aerial was love at first sight for Manuela and she has been playing in the air since February 2016. Manuela loves that the aerial and circus community has so much laughter, support, and encouragement within its folds, and hopes to share the same with her students.

At home, Manuela is constantly working on new projects, whether that’s playing on the piano, cooking, or translating, and loves staying busy with her daughter, Juniper. Manuela is so excited to be a part of the aerial community at Aerotique and hopes to show her students how wonderful and strong they really are!

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Carlyn Pitterle​

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Carlyn Pitterle has been teaching at Aerotique Columbus since April 2018. She teaches Aerial Fundamentals, Static Trapeze, Aerial Rope/Corde, Hammock, and Aerial Flexibility/Conditioning. She started her aerial training at Circus Center in San Francisco at the end of 2012 and has been performing dance and aerial with the company Anna and the Annadroids since earlier that same year. 

Carlyn has a BFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is also a certified Aerial Arts instructor through Nimble Arts. She is a huge Star Wars geek and likes to cosplay with the Rebel Legion in her free time. Founded in October 2020, she is the owner and CEO of the screen printing company, Inkline Printing.

Michelle Tavenner

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Michelle has been an instructor at Aerotique Columbus since December 2018. She currently teaches adult aerial silks classes and private lessons for all ages. Michelle’s aerial journey began in 2014; she quickly became entranced by the beauty of the movement intertwined with physical strength and creative emotional expression. Michelle is a Nimble Arts certified instructor and holds a Registered Yoga Teacher certification at the 500 level.

She is a former middle school teacher, yoga and meditation teacher trainer, and ballroom and Latin dancer. She works as a program director for a busy arts center during the day. When she’s not flying, you might find her spending time outdoors, paddle boarding, reading, or crafting. Michelle has a passion for learning and teaching, and loves to see her students have fun and progress in aerial arts.

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Mallory Strope

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Mallory has been a part of the Aerotique Columbus Community since early 2019; attending Trapeze and Silks classes at first. During her time as a student she explored multiple apparatuses and fell in love with Hoop. She was inspired by the student showcases to perform and eventually incorporate dance in her aerial performances. She became a teacher for the youth program during the Summer of 2020. Currently, Mallory is an extremely diverse instructor, teaching all of the apparatus offered at our studio along with chair choreography! 

Mallory graduated from San Jose State University with a BFA in Dance with an emphasis in Jazz in 2010. While living in San Francisco she joined Anna and the Annadroids, and has been performing with the company since 2015. She loves to bring her movement quality from dance to her classes and choreography. When she isn’t dancing or training she is usually playing video games with all of her animals.

Charlene May

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Charlene has been a part of the Aerotique Columbus community since June 2018. She teaches aerial silks, rope, and hoop classes for adults. In 2016, Charlene decided to try aerial out (thanks to Manuela for introducing!) and hasn’t looked back since. She is particularly interested in aerial theory and exploring fun transitions. Charlene has been teaching since 2019 and has completed Paper Doll Militia’s 50-hour Level 1 & 2 teacher training for silks and rope and Level 1 for hoop. 

When not in the air or stuck at a computer during her day job as a Software Engineer (or for Aerotique ☺️), she enjoys spending time with her husband and three cats, attending to her hundreds of plants, hiking, watching musicals, and playing board games.

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Rachel Flower

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Rachel has been part of the Aerotique Columbus family since summer of 2019. She teaches our teenage gliders and risers programming along with aerial yoga! Rachel is a 200 hr certified yoga instructor and state certified EMT. When not playing in the air, she enjoys spending time with all of the animals.

Annie Sweeney

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Annie has been training aerial for almost 9 years, teaching for 6 of those years. She joined the Aerotique community as an instructor in 2019 and specializes in teaching aerial hammock. She loves exploring new pathways into well known wraps and has recently found a love for choreography.

When she is not at the studio, Annie works as a Project Manager for product development and loves spending time with her husband and two dogs, hiking, traveling, and enjoying her backyard at her new home!

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Cayla Roberts

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Cayla began dancing at age five receiving training across Ohio at Sharon’s School of Dance, Dayton Ballet, Ballet Met and Pontecorvo Ballet before continuing to earn her B.F.A in dance from Wright State University. While studying at Wright State, Cayla received training in concert dance as well as Musical Theatre. After graduation Cayla began her professional career in Fort Wayne Ballet before moving to Chicago to pursue a life as a Chicago based dancer and choreographer. In Chicago Cayla has danced with Tapestry Dance, Project 606, Esoteric Dance Project and Trifecta Dance collective. 

While in Chicago was when Cayla was introduced to the aerial arts and began training at Aerial Dance Chicago. Relocated to Columbus, Ohio in 2020 and joined Columbus Modern Dance Company and is excited to be joining the Aerotique crew in 2021!

Laura Brink

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Laura has been an instructor at Aerotique Columbus since 2019. She teaches adult level silks classes and loves to help students grow and develop new skills, knowledge, and self empowerment on her favorite apparatus. Laura enjoys deep dives into belays and split silk sequences. 

She is a desk jockey by day working as a medical auditor, but escapes to fly or wander outdoors whenever possible hiking with her dogs, kayaking, reading, and crocheting.

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Cyara Hotopp

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Cyara Hotopp is a professional circus performer and figure skater who has the immense pleasure of touring the country to do what she loves most. Cyara started figure skating at the age of 5, competed at the senior level and is a USFSA Triple Gold Medalist. She began aerial in 2018 and fell in love with the art form. 

When she’s not traveling and doing shows – often towing along her two wonderful and patient children – she is doing her best to juggle her many roles and stay sane.

Photo Credit: Ann McDade

Button le Bouton​

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Button has been an aerial instructor at Aerotique Columbus since 2021, but has been involved within the Columbus aerial community for many years! She teaches trapeze on Wednesdays at the studio. She performs for the Amazing Giants and Anna and the Annadroids. 

Andrea Engle

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Andrea has been part of Aerotique Columbus since 2019. She started her aerial journey on silks with her husband and has since fallen in love with hoop and rope also. In 2022, Andrea joined as one of the youth instructors and enjoyed teaching teen silks and hoop.

During the rare times she wasn’t at the studio as a student or teacher, Andrea enjoyed spending time with her two dogs or crocheting plushies. Currently, she is on a strict cuddles only schedule run by her newborn! And she cannot wait to introduce her baby girl to this amazing community.

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

Sarah Joy Hofecker

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Sarah Joy began dancing as a small child and continued on when she was in college. She discovered bellydance in 2009 and has been obsessed ever since. She has studied with teachers around the globe and believes that the more knowledge you gather, the more you understand what you don’t know. Sarah Joy is the founder and troupe leader of GeekChic Entertainment, a belly dance, burlesque, and variety show featuring Sci-Fi and Anime themed choreographies who perform at Comic Cons and other geek-related events.

Sarah Joy’s goal is to create a safe environment where performers everywhere can express their nerdier sides and be compensated fairly for their work. In her free time, she plans world domination, works on her circus and sideshow skills to include fire dancing, aerial arts, glass walking, bed of nails, and circus whip, and works on her collection of cosplays. She is currently located in Columbus, Ohio.

Ari Clubok

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Ari has been practicing aerial since 2017 but picked up more seriously in 2019 upon joining classes at Aerotique Columbus. In 2023, Ari competed at Viva Fest and won 3rd in her division on the trapeze! She joined the Aerotique Columbus instructing team as a substitute instructor in March 2023. 

E. Parker

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Parker has been a part of the Aerotique Columbus family since September 2020 and joined as a substitute instructor in March 2023. Parker enjoys spending time with her dogs at home, coffee, reading, and being in the air.

Stacey Ater

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Stacey started aerial in August of 2021 and hit the ground running. She has joined the Aerotique Columbus team in December 2023 as one of our youth instructors. Stacey has always been a “mover” participating in dance, gymnastics, and musical theater growing up. Her degree is in music education and she taught K-6 general music before moving back to Ohio. 

When she’s not in the gym, which is rare, she’s singing in choir, playing video games, or spending time with her husband and dog.

Photo credit: Scott Ciulei Photography

SK Kim

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SK started aerial in December 2021 with pole dance and started going to Aerotique Columbus in November 2022. Currently working with the Pyrosirens as an aerialist, fire performer, and acrobatic performer, SK has also been dancing for 12 years including experiences with drum corps international, Winterguard International, and breakdancing. SK is a recipient of the 2016 world class bronze medalist award for Winterguard International. As of November 2023, SK is offering aerial pole private lessons here at Aerotique Columbus! Please send all requests through our private lesson form here.

Photo Credit: J Toland Photo

Vanessa McGinty

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Vanessa started doing aerial in the summer of 2020. While her favorite apparatus is trapeze, she loves them all and is always happy just to be in the air. In 2024, she joined as a youth instructor here at Aerotique. Outside of the gym, she is a high school Spanish teacher. She loves to travel or be at home curled up with a good book and her pets. Photo Credit: Erika Venci Photography
Aerotique Columbus is a Host Studio for the Paper Doll Militia Remote Teacher Training. We encourage and provide support for our instructors to enhance their craft through professional development. Members of our staff participate in Paper Doll Militia’s Teacher Training and Certificate program at our approved facility.

Our Studio

  • 6665 Singletree Dr, Columbus, OH 43229
  • info@aerotiquecolumbus.com
  • 614-505-6066
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