History Main / Contortionist

* As it grew out of carnivals, professional wrestling has always had contortionists amongst its ranks. Yes, even in the days when it was not a worked sport, and the rise of MixedMartialArts have only strengthened the notion that it is pretty hard to make a contortionist submit.

* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', one performer at Joffrey's wedding was a contortionist. She also happens to be a [[PowerPerversionPotential prostitute]].

* Being set in a ''CirqueDuSoleil''-style Circus, the cast of ''Anime/KaleidoStar'' does flexible stunts from time to time. For example, the main character Sora Naegino does handstand splits in one scene, dodges a roommate's flying kick by bending backwards, and even tries aerial acts in later episodes.

** In "Skinner's Sense of Snow", some acrobats at a ''CirqueDuSoleil''-style circus gives Marge the idea to clean her bathroom this way.

* In ''Film/OceansEleven'', Danny and Rusty recruit a Chinese contortionist/acrobat as part of their heist team. His job is to cram himself into a cash box so he can be surreptitiously wheeled into the vault.[[/folder]]

* ComicBook/{{Batman}} villain Copperhead is a contortionist in some of his [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins (or her)]] appearances.

* The sequel ''Anime/TigerMaskW'' features Mister Question, an Indian wrestler who uses yoga training in this fashion, even able to dislocate his arm joints for extra stretch.[[/folder]]

* ComicBook/HarleyQuinn seems to have this talent in the New 52, as demonstrated by her incredibly hard-to-do pose [[http://www.readcomics.tv/harley-quinn-annual/chapter-1/4 seen here]] where she's thinking up a plan while incarcerated.

[[folder:Video games]]

[[folder:Web original]]

[[folder:Western animation]]

* A midget contortionist who folds himself up inside a suitcase is integral to the seemingly impossible theft committed in ''Literature/TheThinkingMachine' story "The Lost Radium".

* In ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'', there is Colette, a contortionist who initially befriends the The Baudelaires in ''The Carnivorous Carnival'' but winds up joining Count Olaf.[[/folder]]

* WWE played this up with Wrestling/{{Melina}} Perez even before they had her wrestle with her now famous splits entrance, then with signature big boot and finishing hog locked leg drop which ended in a split pin. Her back bending worked against her though when Beth Phoenix made Melina kick the back of her own head.

* In addition to his jumping spots, Jack Evans of Generation Next was known for his uncanny flexibility, which allowed him to survive {{squash|match}}es from ROH Champion Wrestling/BryanDanielson that likely would have snapped a stiffer man into pieces ([[SpotMonkey and were probably safer for Evans in the long run]]).

* While Heidie Lovelace's {{red baron}} is the "Punk Rock Rag Doll", that mostly seems to be in reference to her [[VisualPun ring gear]] rather than this trope. All the same, don't ever assume she's out of it.

Also see WorldsStrongestMan, TheFreakshow, and {{Clown}}, other circus acts which sometimes go hand in hand with this one. {{Circus brat}}s are also natural companions. For more fantastic stretches not usually seen in this performance art, see AbnormalLimbRotationRange and RubberMan.

* In CharlieChaplin film ''Film/TheCure'' Charlie goes to a spa. He enters the massage room; on the table next to his a big burly male masseuse is giving his client a once over. The client is played by a circus contortionist so the masseuse bends him into seemingly impossible angles.

* {{Exaggerated| Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Rag Doll]] is so good at this he can fit inside of a hat! Even more so later, where he is crushed in the gears of a clock tower (much to Catwoman's horror) and not only ''survives'', but comes out smiling, saying, "that sure worked the kinks out!"

* The MarvelComics character named Scarecrow is also a contortionist who turned his talents to crime, using the skill to appear like a boneless straw figure. Nowadays mostly he's used to play up a Halloween connection more than rag doll with his flexibility.

* Harley Quinn seems to have this talent in the New 52, as demonstrated by her incredibly hard-to-do pose [[http://www.readcomics.tv/harley-quinn-annual/chapter-1/4 seen here]] where she's thinking up a plan while incarcerated.

* The MarvelComics character named Scarecrow is also a contortionist who turned his talents to crime, using the skill to appear like a boneless straw figure. Nowadays mostly he's used to play up a Halloween connection more than rag doll with his flexibility.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Fic]]
* The vocaloid fanfic ''Fanfic/RottingCamellias'' has Miki as one of these, working in a circus.

* {{Exaggerated| Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Rag Doll]] is so good at this he can fit inside of a hat!

* ''Manga/TigerMask'' has Black V, a wrestler whose teacher decided to make him train under a circus contortionist to the point he fits the rag doll and [[KungFuProofMook is practically immune to submission holds]], with Baba calling him a RubberMan. He's not ''completely'' immune to submission holds, but what Tiger Mask resorts to knock him out with one would have ''killed'' a lesser man.[[/folder]]
* The sequel ''Anime/TigerMaskW'' features Mister Question, an Indian wrestler who uses yoga training in this fashion, even able to dislocate his arm joints for extra stretch.

* The sequel ''Anime/TigerMaskW'' features Mister Question, an Indian wrestler who uses yoga training in this fashion, even able to dislocate his arm joints for extra stretch.

* The serial killer called "Sqweegel" on ''Series/CSICrimeSceneInvestigation'' could contort himself enough to fit into the spare tire compartment of a car.

* ''Videogame/StreetFighterV'' has assassin known as F.A.N.G. who in addition to using this to hide is so limber he can invert the way these performances are typically done by temporarily adding inches to his height.[[/folder]]

* Wraith from ''VideoGame/SaturdayNightSlammasters'', as if being a 7'2 WrestlingMonster was not enough he also incorporates amazing bends into his attacks.[[/folder]]

Contortionists are circus performers whose act mainly revolves around bending themselves like pretzels. Occasionally, they will incorporate other things into their act such as spinning Hula hoops on an up stretched leg or shooting bows with toes while bending over backward.

Performers of this type are generally divided into front benders and back benders. Some can fold both ways but most still do one way better than the other. Anyone who can perform a split beyond 180 degrees also might find work in this area, touching a knee to a shoulder or feeding themselves with their feet work too. Some more extreme cases involve a contortionist slipping into a clothing trunk or barrel and for those with a good pain tolerance may dislocate their joints to bend them even further.

* ''Comicbook/{{Spider-man}}'' does painful looking contortions as if they are a second nature to him and he used to have his own performance act making use of his web shooters before he took to fighting crime (perhaps the Spanish web taken to its logical conclusion, but no one remembers because most adaptations cut out his for profit ventures at professional wrestling). He's predominately shown to be a front bender.

* ''Series/TheSarahConnorChronicles'' hired a contortionist to play a terminator named Rosie. Since [[{{Determinator}} terminators are implacable robots]], this falls under rag doll.