Meet Chloe Welton | The Art of Aerial Dance

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chloe Welton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chloe, how do you think about risk?
Risk,

It’s something that every person must accept for themselves in various degrees and with each new day. I’m sure you know for yourself that doing even the most normal or mundane tasks, like driving and eating, can all have risks that are associated.

My name is Chloe Welton,
I am Creative Director and Owner of Shangri-La Aerial Arts in Colorado Springs. In my company, life & career, I’ve chosen to regularly evaluate and mitigate my risks as best as possible. Even in an inherently risky profession such as the aerial arts & live performance production industry. My company, Shangri-La Aerial Arts is proud to offer a combination of local aerial dance classes and performing artistry to the surrounding communities and states across the USA! We’ve been providing fabulous entertainment and corporate party services since our establishment in 2017 and we’ve raised funds and awareness for associations such as The Children’s Hospital, Firefighter’s Calendar Fundraiser, the American Heart Association and TESSA’s abuse prevention events.

We know that part of the beauty of aerial dance is that it can be so versatile. For venues, students, professionals and communities alike, we strive to mitigate our risks by teaching injury prevention and technique first. Knowing fully that anything can happen at any time, we are adamant about our equipment safety checks and mat fall precautions. Receiving our teacher trainings and advice from other well known industry experts.

Aerial dance can be done so beautifully and in so many different forms. You can perform using silk-like fabrics, hoop, hammock or other kinds of apparatus like the always classic trapeze, lollipop stage and portable aerial rigs for larger outdoor events!

Each spectator and participant should be aware of the possible consequences and undertakings of the general risk associated with our activities. They must be accepted fully by each participant, artist ,athlete and aerial performer prior to performing and while practicing. Only then can the truest artistry magically manifest. When a performer makes their skills look safe, easy and beautiful to their audience members and usually to some pretty amazing music tracks as well!

And just like the classic old world circus performances under the big top, Shangri-La seeks to provide a spectacular show made custom to each event’s specific needs.

Hopefully this article and information helps to inspire and supplant some confidence in those who are taking part in the supporting of good business practices within our industry! We hope to give all of our readers and fans a better understanding of why proper training, liability waivers, safety protocols, rules and risk evaluation assessments should be a major cornerstone of any strong business plan or collaboration like Shangri-La Aerial Arts.

~ Chloe Welton

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
If Shangri-La could tell it’s story it would speak of needing tons of persistence. It would be a tale of finding a little bit of luck and using it to propel forward in our persistence. At Shangri-La we’re always learning as quickly as we can while striving to make new connections for our future business endeavors. Our venues, event planners and coordinators have all been teachers of professionalism in some way. We listen, we learn and when we know better we do better.

Shangri-La began by filling a local need for safe and fun adult aerial dance classes in our community. We soon grew to coaching and auditioning athletic performers of our own as well as for other professional theatre productions and national tour teams. However, we, like many other businesses, took massive setbacks due to Covid19. The global pandemic was not something that we had ever expected and it was an event that we will never forget. We canceled several gigs and workshops to accommodate the changing world around us and found that the performance industry was one of the first to go dormant. It seems now that it will be one of the last to return, as many folks are understandably focused on the current bare necessities of life.

However, no matter the challenges at Shangri-La, we believe that facing these hardships makes you smarter and stronger. It can be used as an exercise in finding better opportunities or stepping back to receiving more feedback that can be used in the future. That is why we continue forward. Fighting to keep ourselves flying, fighting to keep others dancing and working to keep our students and sponsors happy!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coming to Colorado Springs can make you think twice about where to start! There is so much to possibly do and see!

When my friends and family visit I look towards our state’s natural beauty!
Garden of the Gods just can’t be beat for it’s views and hiking! Manitou Springs is always on my list for cultured and immersive experiences. Good food can be found in Downtown Colorado Springs on Tejon St. and I absolutely love living in Colorado’s mountain towns.

It is a vibrant place where you can always find thrilling new surprises like the mix of contemporary and traditional atmosphere that has to be felt to be believed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Special thanks to my husband Joshua who supports me and helps to make all of my dreams come to life!

Website: www.shangrilaaerialarts.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shangrila_aerial_arts/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShangriLa.AerialArts

Other: chloewelton@saa.email (719) 337-9312