Amy Tynan Chirico is founder and head instructor of AerialCLT in Charlotte, North Carolina. She began teaching and performing aerial arts in 2010. Prior to entering the aerial world, Amy received her BA in Music Education and taught music for 10 years. Teaching has always been a passion for Amy in any capacity - a teacher by trade, no matter the medium. Amy’s aerial and fitness education training includes a 200 RYT with Grace Morales and intensive studying and workshops with Rebekah Leach, Cheetah Platt, Rachel Strickland, Kristina Nekyia, Jamie Hodgson, Amy Ell, Lydia Stern, Molly Graves, Caroline Wright and others. Amy believes in encouraging students to think and act independently to find their own movement unique to them. Her specialty in teaching is creating a student who is self motivated and self disciplined to learn, discover, and grow.

First Aid/CPR/AED Certified

Mandy has been training and teaching aerial silks since January 2012. Her background includes 10 years ballet and 3 years pointe. Mandy specialized in choreography, fluidity, and proper form throughout her ballet and pointe training.

Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certified

In 2015, Sydney graduated with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Sculpture and Extended Media program and she found her passion for aerial that very same year. Her dance, gymnastics, and theater background proved useful in her performance art and also guided her to her love for the aerial arts. She has trained with Rachel Strickland, Waverly Jones, and Aaron Koz. She has also trained with Charlotte-based aerialists, including Amy Tynan, Aly Scanlon, and Mandy Elledge. She strives every day to share the confidence and strength she found in aerial movement with others.

She specializes in hard apparatus, and you can usually find her spinning or using momentum on Trapeze and Lyra.

Julia began her aerial training in 2015 but is a life long dancer. She received classical ballet training in her home state of Maryland and continued her dance education at East Carolina University, where she earned a BFA in dance performance. Upon graduating, Julia moved to Charlotte and dances as much as possible, but Aerial CLT sparked a new passion: dancing off the ground! She is excited to share her passion to help others discover all the different ways a body can move.
CPR Certified.

Abbey began her journey in aerial in early January 2017. Growing up, Abbey tried a little of everything: dance, tennis, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, yoga and cross country but always struggled to find her true passion. After one class at AerialCLT, Abbey knew that she found the thing she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Aerial allows her to be creative, it often takes her outside of her comfort zone, gives her a great work out and encourages her to live a healthy lifestyle. Abbey cares deeply about people and wants to share her passion through teaching and creating an environment that allows growth, discovery and friendship.

Ricarda began her aerial journey in 2018 when she moved back to Charlotte, and immediately fell in love with the strength and beauty of dancing in the air. She has always been passionate about fitness, through powerlifting, yoga, and running, so aerial was the perfect combination for her. Prior to aerial, Ricarda was an avid equestrian and taught Hunter-Jumper for 3 years. Her love for teaching and helping others quickly transitioned to the aerial world and she is excited to share her passion in a fun, safe, and supportive environment.

Madison believes that movement is medicine and has always been drawn to some form of physical expression whether through dance, sports, or yoga. Madison stumbled across an aerial yoga class and was immediately hooked and wanted more. Not long after, she quickly found AerialCLT. For Madison, aerial has been a source of self-empowerment and a journey in finding mental and physical strength. Aerial has proven the incredible feats we are all capable of with practice, patience, and perseverance. It has sparked a fiery passion within her that she looks forward to sharing with others. She can't wait to see student's fall in love with aerial just like she did.

Lyn began her aerial journey in 2018 and quickly fell in love with the art, layers of growth, commitment and strength. Prior to aerial, Lyn received a Bachelor in Science in Communications/Minor in Music from Western Carolina University. During college, she participated in the WCU Marching Cats, performed and sang in various music groups and held a spot on the WCU Dance Team for 3 years. Her dance background includes 12 years of ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap and 6 years of gymnastics. Out of college for over 20 years, Lyn stumbled across an AerialCLT silks class and her first experience quickly sparked a memory from her past, a memory of dance, movement and gymnastics. All the things she loved! Lyn is a proud momma to her 19-year old son, Parish, who is living his dream to play college football at Western Carolina University. She is excited to share this new aerial journey with others, to offer a relatable, safe space where everyone is accepted and to celebrate your accomplishments no matter how big or small!

Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certified

Kristy began her aerial journey in 2015 and quickly fell in love with the adrenaline. She spent 15 years in competitive cheerleading, from grade school through college at the University of South Carolina, and spent most of her summers coaching/choreographing. She was thrilled to find something in her adulthood that can keep her active, healthy, intrigued, and has found her true home in the supportiveness of the aerial community. She enjoys performing, learning and getting creative with theory, and is excited to share her passion with others.

Janice McCormick started her aerial journey in 2012 at an aerial yoga studio. She fell in love with the beauty and grace of making shapes in the silk hammock. She also appreciated the amount of strength and flexibility that came with taking aerial classes. After completing a 200 hour yoga teacher training, Janice taught yoga and aerial yoga in New York from 2013 until 2020. In 2014 she started training on the lyra and aerial silks, completing a lyra instructor certification in 2021. Since moving to Charlotte she has been practicing and training at AerialCLT, completing their teacher training program in 2022. She hopes to make teaching aerial arts a bigger part of her life so she can share her passion for circus arts with others and watch them grow in confidence and strength!

Katie began her aerial journey in 2013 at the young age of 10. After training with multiple studios and teachers she ended up back in Charlotte at AerialCLT in 2019. She was immediately drawn in by the curriculum that prioritizes safety and the supportive sense of community. This sense of safety and community gave her confidence and helped foster a love for performing. As an instructor, she hopes to give this confidence to students.

Tamara found her love of aerial when she took her first class in 2018! She was enchanted by all its challenges and rewards. Her journey has inspired her to perform, and now teach! Tamara takes joy in how aerial offers so many opportunities to find strength and beauty in yourself. In her free time she has an unreasonable number of other hobbies, but especially enjoys reading, cooking/baking and kayaking.