Owner: Marzanne Draves
By Ann Marie Byrd, Feature Writer
Marz Aerial Arts & Fitness, located at 258 Kale Road near the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, is a performance studio offering one of the most unique ways to exercise in New Bern.
The studio is long and narrow with delightfully high ceilings, from which there are suspended silks, poles and lyra filling the distinctive space. The style of the studio is a play on owner Marzanne’s name, with a playful “I’m in outer-space-on-Mars” feel. The vibe is complete with deep purples, rich velvets and, of course, a lineup of fabulous costumes and shoes on loan for members and guests.
Group classes are in the evenings at 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm and include aerial silk, aerial lyra, spin and static pole fitness, aerial yoga, belly dancing and finally, poleography (yes, we know that’s not a real word).
During the weekend, from 9:00 am to noon on Saturdays, the studio has an open gym and holds workshops. Also available are private events for small groups or parties on site, as well as private lessons.
Marzanne first became interested in various types of circus-type performance while working on a production of Big Fish in the Theatre department at her high school in McLean, VA. In preparation for that production, she began her training in Falls Church, and was immediately “hooked” on aerial acts (pun intended).
Soon after, she began her college career at North Carolina State University at Raleigh with a major in Industrial End Systems Engineering. In 2020, both she and her husband Blake had moved to New Bern, working as engineers for Moen and Bosch, respectively.
She started going to what was then Smash Studios in 2017 when she was first a co-op student with Moen to continue her training on silks, and in 2021 became an instructor at and eventually the owner of the studio. “Tina wanted to sell the studio in 2021, and I convinced her that with my background as an aerialist, an engineer and small business owner, that I could succeed,” says Marzanne. “She trusted that I could keep it going and as of today we have over doubled our membership. We are proud to say that we have served over 300 clients.”
In August, Marz Aerial is also offering two more instances of a Circus Summer Camp starting on August 8th for kids and adults from 9:00am-noon. Please visit their Facebook page for more details at: www.facebook.com/marzaerial and www.marzaerial.com.