Performer Bios
Kelsey Keller - Artistic Director & Performer
Kelsey is a nationally recognized aerial artist and competitor. She grew up competing in dance and acrobatics, then took her passion to the air in 2011, while dancing with Xclaim Dance Company in Columbus, Ohio. She has trained at studios and festivals across the country, including the Circus Arts Conservatory in Sarasota, FL, the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, and the Aerial Acrobatic Arts Festival in Denver, CO. In 2015 she was recognized as a top ten finalist at the U.S. Aerial Championships in New York City. In 2016 she was hired by Cirque du Soleil to teach and perform for their cirque experience, Club Med CREACTIVE in Punta Cana.
Kelsey has been living in Pittsburgh, PA since 2013. In addition to bi-weekly performances at CAVO Restaurant, Lounge, and Nightclub, she has been featured at private and public events across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.
Jenly Deiter - Assistant Director & Performer
Jenly was born and raised in eastern Pennsylvania. She began dance at the age of three and continued into her college years. Jenly found her passion for aerial circus arts while attending graduate school in Philadelphia. She trained at the Philadelphia School of Circus arts until a job opportunity brought her to Pittsburgh in 2012.
Jenly has been an aerial instructor in Pittsburgh for over a year and is pleased to call Fullbody Fitness her home studio. When leaving Philadelphia, Jenly promised to bring aerial arts to Pittsburgh and is thrilled to be performing and teaching in the greater Pittsburgh area.
Angela Anderson - Performance Artist
Angela was born and raised here in Pittsburgh and has been dancing all her life. She has a degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. She began training in aerial arts, specifically aerial silks and hoop, with Kelsey and Jenly in 2013. Outside of the studio she also enjoys hiking, and traveling.
Anne Smith - Performance Artist
Anne grew up in Ann Arbor, MI before getting her Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology at Arizona State University. She began her aerial training in 2013, while studying physical therapy at Chatham University. She earned her doctorate of physical therapy in 2014 and soon after moved to Las Vegas, where she has continued training and performing. She was a childhood figure skater before she decided to take to the sky as an adult!
Shelby Shingle - Performance Artist
Shelby is from Canonsburg, PA and has been training in aerial arts since 2013. In addition to the traditional Iron City Aerial apparatuses (aerial silks, hoop, static trapeze, and corde lisse), she is trained in pole fitness and dance. When she’s not working on her spins, and drops, she spends her time rock climbing, practicing yoga, and biking.
Kiara Nappenbach- Performance Artist
Kiara was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Growing up, she enjoyed gymnastics and cheerleading. Kiara attended the University of Pittsburgh for her undergraduate degree in Psychology. Later, she went on to get her Masters in Information Systems Management from Duquesne University.
She began taking aerial silk lessons in 2013 and aerial hoop in May of 2014. She immediately became passionate about both. The aerial arts are an amazing way to challenge the body while expressing oneself and exercising creativity. Kiara is beyond thrilled to join Iron City Aerial and is honored to be a part of this team of amazingly talented and inspiring aerialists!
Shannon Pauley - Performance Artist
Shannon is a hair dresser born and raised in Pittsburgh. She was introduced to aerial silks in 2013 by her cousin who was taking a silk class in California. With Shannon's love of new adventures and different art forms, she knew this was the ticket to portray her passion. Shannon has expanded to different apparatuses including aerial hoop, static trapeze, rope and Spanish web. She loves performing along side her circus family, and looks forward to the new opportunities in Iron City Aerial's future.
Lauren Tan - Performance Artist
Lauren grew up in the south hills of Pittsburgh. She started gymnastics at the age of 3 where she developed a passion for the sport, trained competitively, and eventually taught gymnastics to children. A hip injury ended her time as a gymnast after over 15 years. She then began dance classes, practicing ballet, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, and contortion. After injuring her back, she had to find another way to get her "circus fix." She came across aerial arts and began taking classes in 2012. Lauren loves to use her performances to create beauty, tell stories, promote empathy and understanding, and put a smile on people's faces.
Outside of her acrobatic life, she has her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Religious Studies. She also has her Master's degree in School Counseling and is recognized as a National Certified Counselor. In her spare time, she also enjoys singing, playing her piano, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Lauren is honored to be part of this amazing team of aerialists.
Djuna Gulliver - Performance Artist
Djuna was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, and moved to Pittsburgh in 2009 to get her doctorate in Environmental Engineering. She started training with Kelsey and Jenly in 2013, and became an Iron City Aerialist in 2016. At the same time, she also began teacher training to become an aerial silks instructor. Outside the studio, she is a research engineer and a science blogger.
Kim Hannold - Performance Artist
Kim was born and raised in Meadville, PA. She grew up dancing and doing gymnastics. She began training with Kelsey and Jenly in 2014. In addition to being an Iron City Aerialist, she is also a certified aerial yoga instructor and teaches classes at Kelsey and Jenly's aerial studio, Fullbody Fitness Club. Kim is very excited to be a part of Iron City Aerial and loves to perform.
Contributors, Guest Performers, and Friends
Brandon Keller- Co-Director
In addition to being the owner of Keller Law, LLC, a law firm helping clients in the areas of entertainment, criminal, and family law, Brandon is ICA's agent, manager, lawyer, marketing department, and security. He helps coordinate with the many fantastic event planners in the Pittsburgh area and beyond, and does everything he can to allow the Iron City Aerialists to concentrate on what they do best.
Kevin Bailey - Guest Performer
Lucky us, our good friend Kevin is willing to travel to join us and contribute his skills to Iron City Aerial! Kevin and our Director Kelsey Keller met during their time together with Xclaim dance company in Columbus, OH. Kevin has been addicted to aerial since Xclaim's production of "Ethereal," and trains at Infinity Aerial in Columbus.
