One of the most striking shows for its originality is contortionism. The people who practice it are contortionists and their skill consists of making seemingly impossible body movements to execute.
They are capable of performing all sorts of strange postures and to do this they bend their joints to an extreme degree.
Among the most common movements we can highlight arching the back until the head comes into contact with the feet, inverted verticals, sitting on one’s own head or passing the torso between the legs. In general, this discipline is practiced by young women and very few men are dedicated to it.
Contortionism is considered as the art of flexibility
Some of its practitioners have previously practiced other techniques that also require considerable flexibility, such as yoga, martial arts, or ballet.
As a general rule, this discipline is performed individually, with accompanying music and original clothing. Sometimes, the movements of the body are accompanied by other complementary skills (archery with the feet, getting into a tiny container, imitating animal shapes, juggling, creating geometric shapes with the body…). Due to all these characteristics, the show of contortionism has traditionally been associated with the world of the circus.
In relation to contortionism there are some false myths: that contortionists use reptile oils to be so flexible or that their body has other types of joints.
Contortionism has a genetic basis but it can be exercised
Contortionism as a discipline is a combination of spectacle and sport. Its practitioners require excellent physical shape, great flexibility and elasticity, and harmony in their movements. The people who dedicate themselves to it have exceptional natural conditions and special genetics, otherwise they would not be able to move as they do. However, without specific training it would be impossible to practice contortionism.
Sometimes contortionists have a hereditary problem that allows them to perform unimaginable movements.
This pathology is Ehlers Danlos syndrome or joint hypermobility syndrome. The main characteristic is the disproportionate mobility of the joints,
Sometimes this syndrome causes injuries and joint pain, but sometimes this rarity can be beneficial in certain physical activities such as contortionism. Due to this, it has come to be affirmed that contortionism is, in addition to a spectacular rarity, a disease.
Photos: Fotolia – Wild Orchid / Ellerslie
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