Contortion is a traditional and rare athletic art form deeply rooted in Mongolian history from the 12th-13th centuries. It is an acrobatic skill characterized by the visual art and beauty of the various shapes and patterns made by bending the spine and body in varying degrees. Advanced performers are able to display immense physical elasticity while showing an expression of serenity accompanied by music to match its elegance.

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This two hour workshop will cover how to develop a thorough warmup routine that can be utilized for any type of body or workout and will teach you some basic to challenging skills and elements. The full first hour will consist of technique and conditioning, followed by an assessment of students' current abilities. Then the second hour will include flexibility training, contortion/acro tricks workshop training, partner stunts, and creative time. It is a great idea to wear clothing layers to keep muscles warm, this means especially to cover the entire back!  About the Instructor - Katarina Danks: One of South Florida’s bendiest entertainers and performance artists, Katarina has graced Florida stages previously for Circus TransformUS, the Fort Myers Film Festival, Telemundo TV, Naples Scene to Be Scene, Hulaween and more. She is a world renown contortionist, foot archer, hand-balancer and acrobatics educator for over 20 years, working alongside performers from Europe, Canada, the U.S., and circuses like Cirque du Soleil, the Big Apple Circus, Ringling Brothers, and Circus Roncalli. She is a long time presenter at the International Contortion Convention. She is a co-founder of Melody Lane Performing Arts Center in Cape Coral and currently coaches online and in the Tampa Bay area. We are privileged to have the opportunity to work with her!