The act of twisting or bending your body into unusual or extreme shapes, often in a painful-looking way.
From Latin 'contortus' (twisted together), composed of 'con-' (together) and 'torquere' (to twist). The present participle form adds '-ing' to indicate ongoing action.
Contortionists can fold themselves into boxes smaller than a suitcase because their spine is more flexible than average—some were even born with connective tissue disorders that make extreme flexibility possible, turning a medical condition into an art form.
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