Our Story

Born from movement, built on heart

Where Art and Strength Take Flight

Elevated Dreams is a creative sanctuary for aerial dance — a place where artistry, community, and self-discovery come together. Here, movement becomes a language of expression, connection, and play. Whether you’re stepping into the studio for the first time or refining your craft, you’ll find guidance rooted in respect, curiosity, and a genuine love for the art.

Our Philosophy

We believe aerial arts are for everyone. At Elevated Dreams, we teach with intention — blending strong technical foundations with freedom of expression. Our classes encourage students to explore their own potential while honoring the discipline and creativity that define the cirque tradition.

You don’t have to arrive with experience — just a willingness to learn, move, and explore. We meet you where you are and help you grow with strength, awareness, and artistry.

The Elevated Dreams Experience

Every class is an invitation:

To rise.
To connect.
To create.

Our instructors bring a wealth of performance experience and a shared passion for teaching. Together, we cultivate a space where students of all ages — from children and teens to adults and professionals — can find empowerment through movement.

We approach aerial as both an artform and a personal practice: a way to build confidence, explore creativity, and connect more deeply with yourself and others.

Our Story

Elevated Dreams was born from a desire to bring the beauty of aerial arts to the Santa Barbara community in a way that feels both inspiring and accessible. What began as a small, dedicated training space has grown into a vibrant studio filled with artistry, laughter, and flight.

Here, the spirit of traditional cirque meets the heart of modern movement — honoring the roots of the craft while allowing each student to shape their own expression. It’s a space built on respect, community, and the belief that everyone has the ability to fly.

Autumn Lotus

Founder & Studio Owner

With over 30 years in movement arts, Autumn bridges the worlds of discipline and expression. From elite-level gymnastics to the aerial stage, her path reflects a deep devotion to both technical mastery and creative exploration.

Trained by world-class cirque performers and shaped by collaborations with Cirque du Soleil, The Lucent Dossier Experience, and Zen Arts, she carries forward the traditions of cirque with a modern, inclusive approach.

Autumn teaches with reverence for the craft and belief in every student’s potential. Her classes invite individuals of all levels to discover aerial as more than movement — as a practice of awareness, artistry, and connection to self.

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A woman performing aerial silk dance in a studio with colorful mural art on the wall.
A woman practicing aerial silk performance, hanging upside down while holding blue silk fabric, smiling, with tattoos on her arms, in an indoor studio.
A young girl practicing aerial silk gymnastics with a trainer in a dance studio with colorful wall art.
Female aerialist performing on aerial silk indoors, hanging upside down with one leg extended and gripping the silk with her hands.
Five young girls with painted faces, sitting in a line, smiling and dressed in colorful costumes, at a performance or event with mural art and a blue padded wall in the background.
Two women practicing aerial silk acrobatics indoors, one woman assisting the other with an inverted pose.
A woman practicing aerial silk acrobatics indoors, performing a split while hanging from pink fabric suspended from the ceiling.
A young girl is performing an aerial yoga pose on a geometric aerial yoga hammock inside a room with plants, mirrors, and colorful decor.
A young woman practicing aerial silks indoors, hanging upside down with her body bent and her head tilted to the side. She is holding onto rainbow-colored fabric with one hand, while her other arm supports her body. The room features plants, workout
A group of children and adults posing inside and around a large red sculpture of a heart during an outdoor event on a sunny day, with palm trees and buildings in the background.
Five young women sitting on the floor of a dance studio, smiling and posing for a photo, wearing dance costumes and tights.
A woman practicing aerial silk or hammock acrobatics in a gym with colorful mural art on the walls, with a blue crash pad below her
Two women practicing aerial silk routines indoors, with one woman hanging upside down from blue silks and the other woman holding the silks below her.
A woman practicing aerial acrobatics on a hoop in a colorful gym. She is holding the hoop with one hand, with her body extended horizontally and one leg bent upward. The gym features vibrant wall art with floral and swirling patterns.
A young girl practicing aerial silk arts in a gym, hanging upside down and smiling, with colorful indoor gym equipment and a mural in the background.
Woman practicing aerial silk acrobatics indoors, hanging from blue fabric, with a colorful mural on the wall behind her.
A young girl hanging upside down on a gymnastics ribbon at an indoor gymnasium, with gym equipment and mats around.
Two women practicing aerial silk performance indoors, one hanging from pink silk and the other on the floor holding the silk, both smiling.
Two young girls practicing yoga or gymnastics in a studio, with one girl performing a backbend and the other holding a balanced pose with one leg raised and arms extended.
Two women practicing aerial silk yoga indoors, one doing a backbend on pink silk and the other in a different pose with blue silk, with plants and a whiteboard in the background.
A woman with red hair lies in an aerial silk hammock hanging from the ceiling, holding onto the silk with one hand, while her legs are wrapped in pink fabric. She rests her chin on her hands and looks at the camera.
A woman with long curly blonde hair hanging upside down on an aerial silk set up indoors, with colorful silks hanging from the ceiling, in a room decorated with plants, white curtains, and wall art.
Two young girls practicing aerial acrobatics on a pentagon-shaped aerial hoop inside a dance studio, with plants and mirrors visible in the background.
Two young girls practicing aerial yoga or acrobatics using a hexagonal metal frame, hanging from a ceiling in a colorful indoor gym or studio with decorative wall art.
A young girl practicing aerial silk yoga upside down, smiling, in a gym, with other children in the background.
Girl practicing aerial silk at an indoor trampoline gym, hanging upside down and smiling.
A group of five women taking a selfie in a fitness or gym studio, with gym equipment and climbing ropes in the background.
A young girl in pink pajamas practicing aerial silk skills on a circular hoop in a gym or dance studio.