History Main / Contortionist

* Rag Doll was originally a foe of Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Comicbook/{{Flash}}, who used his contortionist abilities to imitate a lifeless dummy in his first crime...and just kept the disguise as his costume. His eventual children inherited varying levels of his contortionist abilities--the Rag Doll who was a member of the Secret Six "cheated" by having surgery done to increase his flexibility.

* In ''Literature/TheNightCircus'' the resident Tattoeed Lady, Tsukiko, [[{{Twofer}} is also the contortionist.]]

Also see WorldsStrongestMan, GirlsWithMustaches, TheFreakshow, and NonIronicClown, other circus acts which sometimes go hand in hand with this one. {{Circus brat}}s are also natural companions. {{Flopsy}} is a common scam contortionists are not necessary for, but excel at. For more fantastic stretches not usually seen in this performance art, see AbnormalLimbRotationRange and RubberMan.

Also see WorldsStrongestMan, GirlsWithMustaches, TheFreakshow, and {{Clown}}, other circus acts which sometimes go hand in hand with this one. {{Circus brat}}s are also natural companions. {{Flopsy}} is a common scam contortionists are not necessary for, but excel at. For more fantastic stretches not usually seen in this performance art, see AbnormalLimbRotationRange and RubberMan.

* Wrestling/LannyPoffo, who was described as so limber [[PowerPerversionPotential he could blow himself]], or in more polite company a walking advertisement for the Gazelle Freestyle exercise machines. Still, WCW missed an opportunity when they declined to give him a GorgeousGeorge gimmick, despite Wrestling/RandySavage insisting Poffo had been training specifically for the role...

* A victim of the week on ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' was one. He was found folded up inside a rather small box buried in the beach sand.

* Non human though still humanoid "Chimney Trolls", of the '' Tabletopgame/DungeonsAndDragons'' inspired ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', are an entire species of them. They get their name for being large by humanoid standards but frequently being found in tight places, like chimneys...[[/folder]]

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHillTheHill'' implies, though never outright states that exterminator Dale Alvin Gribble is a former contortionist. He can walk on his hands while both of his feet are bent behind his head, so he definitely could be one if he wanted to.

* In the movie version of ''Film/TwelveYearsASlave'', the first musical performance job Solomon is offered [[ConversedTrope is said]] to involve creatures which can contort themselves in unearthly manners.

* In the movie version of ''Film/TwelveYearsASlave'', the first musical performance job Solomon is offered is said to involve creatures which can contort themselves in unearthly manners.

* The Rakshasa of Manga/AkameGaKill are not truly raksha, but executioners trained in the art of contortion to help them appear as man eating demonic creatures. Hopefully scaring the capital's populace and cutting back on the need for executions.

* Pop star Terrence has front bending contortion among his many talents, although despite years of practice he still has a little ways to go during the events of ''VisualNovel/ComingOutOnTop''.[[/folder]]

Also see WorldsStrongestMan, GirlsWithMustaches, TheFreakshow, and {{Clown}}, other circus acts which sometimes go hand in hand with this one. {{Circus brat}}s are also natural companions. {{Flopsy}} is a common scam contortionist are not necessary for but excel at. For more fantastic stretches not usually seen in this performance art, see AbnormalLimbRotationRange and RubberMan.

* Xiaodan Li of ''TabletopGame/Deadlands'' ''Doomtown'' has a talent for breaking, entering and escaping imprisonment based mostly around contortion. His card even has special rules to account for it.[[/folder]]

* ''Videogame/StreetFighterV'' has an 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. His main gimmick is to confuse opponents by delivering strikes from odd angles.[[/folder]]

* Thomas the Contortionist, one of four young carnival freaks starring in the ''Curiosity House'' mystery solving series. The others being Max the Knife thrower, Sam the World's strongest boy and Pippa the Mentalist.

Also see WorldsStrongestMan, GirlsWithMustaches, 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.

* 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 UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts have only strengthened the notion that it is pretty hard to make a contortionist submit.

* [[Wrestling/BlackRose La Rosa Negra]] put on a demonstration for a referee at Fighting Evolution Wrestling trying to check her person for concealed weapons. Wrestling/MickieJames tried to do something similar at a Traditional Championship Wrestling event but was told she was on a family show.

* While Heidie Lovelace's {{red baron}} "Punk Rock Rag Doll" mostly seems to be in reference to her [[VisualPun ring gear]] rather than this trope, it was inspired by a beating she received from Wrestling/LeiDTapa which made her look as lifeless as a...

* Yun-seong from ''Videogame/SoulCalibur II'' is of the high kicking and over 180 degree split example. In fact, one of his victory poses is just him jumping into the air, doing the splits and landing in that position. There is an unlockable demonstration where he shows off (along with sword handling because it is a fighting game). Voldo is an even better example, who besides his own demonstration goes so far as to have a curled up {{rolling attack}} among his crazy multiple angled strikes.

* ''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. His main gimmick is to confuse opponents by delivering strikes from odd angles.[[/folder]]

* 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 Wrestling/{{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]]).

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

* In [[http://www.gomymanga.com/manga/Karakuri_Circus/4/18 one scene]] from ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'', Shirogane does a DopeSlap to [[BoisterousBruiser Narumi]] by whipping her foot up ''from behind her back'' to kick him in the head. Masaru [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this with an aside, saying, "Shirogane, are you made of rubber"?

* ComicBook/HarleyQuinn seems to have this talent in the New 52, as demonstrated by her incredibly hard-to-do pose [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--6elj0ZsXJg/VE6i47O1XXI/AAAAAAAAWYY/vBleAzPZ5fI/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-10-27%2Bat%2B3.53.38%2BPM.png seen here]], from the 2013 ''Harley Quinn Annual #1'', where she's thinking up a plan while incarcerated.

* 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]], from the 2013 ''Harley Quinn Annual #1'', where she's thinking up a plan while incarcerated.