Carissa Thornall is the dreamer and dancer behind Cloud 9 Aerial Dance. With a lifelong passion for health, movement, and helping others feel strong in their bodies, Carissa brings both experience and heart to everything she teaches.

After graduating from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2008, Carissa began her career as a full-time personal trainer, working closely with clients to help them reach their fitness goals. In 2011, she founded her own fitness business, Raising the Bar, and partnered with organizations such as CrossFit Waikiki and Corporate Fitness Hawai‘i. Through this work, she supported employees at several Honolulu-based companies, including American Savings Bank and UHA Health Insurance.

Carissa’s dance journey began at Mid-Pacific Institute, where she started dancing at the age of 13. In 2010, she discovered aerial dance at Samadhi Hawai‘i in Honolulu and immediately fell in love. She has trained extensively on aerial silks, hammock, dance trapeze, lyra, spansets, and other apparatus. In 2013, she became an aerial instructor and company member at Samadhi, teaching students ranging in age from 4 to 65+.

As a performer, Carissa choreographed and appeared in multiple Samadhi productions, including Samadhi LIVE and The Tale of the Circle Keys. Her performance experience also includes events such as Art After Dark at the Honolulu Museum of Art, Hallowbaloo at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, and numerous community performances across O‘ahu. Behind the scenes, she has extensive production experience, working as a stagehand, rigging assistant, sound and lighting assistant, and stage manager for aerial productions with Samadhi Hawai‘i and Volary Aerial Burlesque.

After a five-year hiatus — welcoming two babies back-to-back — Carissa joyfully returned to aerial dance and is beyond excited to share her passion. She is inspired by aerial’s unique balance of strength and grace, the creativity it encourages, and the confidence it builds both in the air and on the ground. For Carissa, the aerial journey is ongoing, ever-evolving, and full of possibility. 

COMING SOON!