Plural form; acrobats or performers who specialize in physical feats requiring balance and agility.
From Greek akrobates, one who walks on heights. The root akron + bates (walker) created the identity of someone who performs at the physical peaks of possibility.
Ancient Greek acrobates were already performing backflips on horses and tightropes—so modern circus acrobats are basically doing what ancient performers perfected over 2,000 years ago.
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