Contortion folk acrobat

Young Mongolian girls bend their bodies in ways that will defy nature. Contortionism has been a tradition in Mongolia for several hundreds years. 
Mongolian contortion folk acrobat is widely considered more of an art than an acrobatic feat. Students of contortion often begin training as early as age five in order to prepare their joints and ligaments to withstand the rigorous physical demands of performing, reaching a peak performance age in the late teens to mid-twenties. Most students will study for four to five years before they are considered a professional contortionist.