Alumni Biographies

College of Arts and Sciences

Katie Keeney puts her Liberal arts and sciences degree to work

After graduating from the UW College of Arts and Sciences, Katie Keeney (B.A. Psychology 2009) put her liberal arts and sciences education to the test. She flexed her skills by working for a disaster recovery business, a fitness school, and by writing freelance for several small companies. Along the journey, she also became a licensed esthetician (a professional who specializes in skin and its care). Three years ago, Keeney, who also earned minor degrees in technical writing and dance, began working at Aeris Aerial Arts where she exercises her many talents.

Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, Aeris Aerial Arts offers classes in aerial skills, as well as entertainment for special occasions, including fundraisers, weddings, and large corporate events. While wearing Vegas-style costumes, performers do Cirque-type acts, sing and dance, and become living statues, towering divas, and living tables.

Keeney danced ballet for most of her life so she brought the strength and flexibility needed to successfully perform on Aerial silks (dancing from giant sheets or curtains hanging from the ceiling). Keeney performs on stilts, and she was a Crete Snake Goddess living table at a Crete festival. Keeney also now teaches classes at the studio and designs and makes costumes for performances.

Although Keeney is not a member of the company, Darla Davis, the owner of Aeris Aerial Arts, sends Keeney to perform at shows and events. “So far I have performed for Adobe, Comcast, Mountain America Credit Union, NuSkin, and the Idaho Meth Project,” notes Keeney. “Slowly, I gained more responsibilities in the studio. I became a sub when Darla had family responsibilities one night. After that, I became the top choice to help manage paid performances. When the number of classes started to grow and attendance started to pick up, I watched the front desk.  I am, now, the manager of the studio.” 

Keeney believes that her strengths lie in the technical side of performance and she is good at organizing, but this job gives her opportunities to hone her artistic eye. “Working at Aeris Aerial Arts has become my ideal job,” Keeney says. “It combines both physicality and mental acuity. I get to work out every day. I also have to use my psychology degree as a teacher, my dance minor when rehearsing and performing, and my esthetic license when I apply stage make-up for performances. I even get to use the sewing skills my mother taught me when I was growing up!”

Now that is “complete living!”

 
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