Contortion is a performance art in which performers called contortionists showcase their skills of extreme physical flexibility. Contortion acts often accompany acrobatics, circus acts, street performers and other live performing arts. Contortion acts are typically performed in front of a live audience. An act will showcase one or more artists performing a choreographed set of moves or poses, often to music, which require extreme flexibility. The physical flexibility required to perform such acts greatly exceeds that of the general population. It is the dramatic feats of seemingly inhuman flexibility that captivate audiences.
Sissel Kyrkjebø, also known abroad as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano. Kyrkjebø is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos. Her musical style ranges from pop recordings and folk songs to classical vocals and operatic arias.
Brenda Song Culkin is an American actress. Born in California, Song began her career at the age of six, working as a child model. She made her screen debut with a guest appearance on the sitcom Thunder Alley (1995), and went on to roles such as the children's television series Fudge (1995) and the Nickelodeon series 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd (1999). She starred in the Disney Channel original film The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000), which won her a Young Artist Award. She subsequently signed a contract with Disney Channel and earned widespread recognition for playing the titular character in the action film Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006), and London Tipton in the comedy franchise The Suite Life (2005–2011), earning her acclaim and two Young Hollywood Awards. She additionally played the character of Tia on Phil of the Future (2004–2005), and had starring roles in the television film Get a Clue (2002), the sports comedy film Like Mike (2002) and the comedy film Stuck in the Suburbs (2004).
America's Got Talent is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global Got Talent franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle USA and Syco Entertainment, and broadcasts on the NBC television network. It premiered on June 21, 2006, after plans for a British edition in 2005 were suspended, following a dispute within the British broadcaster ITV. Production would later resume in 2007, following the success of the first season. Each season is mainly run during the network's summer schedule, and has featured various hosts over the course of the program's history. The current host is Terry Crews.
Sam Wills is a New Zealand prop comic, busker, clown, and mime artist residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. He performs under the name The Boy With Tape On His Face and, more recently, as Tape Face. He was also half of the two-person act Spitroast and sometimes performed under his own name, Sam Wills. He has been featured in the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, the World Buskers Festival, and was a finalist on Season 11 of America's Got Talent.
Irina Kazakova is known as one of the world's most flexible rhythmic gymnasts. She specializes in contortion and rhythmic gymnastics on Russia's national team. She is trained with a personal trainer, with whom she works on her oversplits. Her most popular performance is her "Snake Dance". As a rhythmic gymnast, she has performed with the ball, clubs, hoop, and ribbons.
Faryl Smith is a British soprano who performs opera, classical and classical crossover music. Smith rose to fame after appearing on the second series of the ITV television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2008 as a child. After the programme, in December 2008, Smith signed a contract with Universal Classics and Jazz for a £2.3 million advance, the largest ever granted to a schoolgirl. Her debut album, Faryl, was recorded from December 2008 to January 2009 and released in March 2009. Faryl became the fastest-selling solo classical album in British chart history, selling 29,200 copies in the first week. It debuted at number six and rose to number four the following week, making Smith the third Britain's Got Talent contestant to have a top ten album. In 2010, on account of Faryl, Smith was nominated for two Classical BRIT Awards and became the youngest artist ever to receive a double nomination.
Escala is an electronic string quartet from London, England who rose to fame when they performed on and reached the final of the second series of Britain's Got Talent on ITV1 in May 2008.
"Circus" is a song by American singer Britney Spears. It was released on December 2, 2008, through Jive Records as the second single from her sixth studio album of the same name. Written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and Benny Blanco, "Circus" is a metaphor for the public's perception of Spears' life. After she listened to the track for the first time, she felt inspired to create an album and a tour with a circus theme. "Circus" is an uptempo electropop and dance-pop song with elements of pop rock and "half-rapped" vocals. The song's lyrics talk about being an entertainer and putting on shows.
Talentadong Pinoy, also known as Bangon Talentadong Pinoy is a Philippine television reality competition show broadcast by TV5. Hosted by Ryan Agoncillo, it aired from August 16, 2008 to March 13, 2021, and was replaced by 1000 Heartbeats: Pintig Pinoy. The show it displays performances from singers, dancers, actors, musicians and comedians, to contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, ventriloquists and magicians. Contestants are allowed to perform any act they want.
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who rose to fame in 2009 after appearing as a contestant on the third series of Britain's Got Talent, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. As of 2021, Boyle has sold 25 million records. Her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream (2009), is one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century, having sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and it was the best-selling album internationally in 2009. In 2011, Boyle made UK music history by becoming the first female artist to achieve three successive albums debut at No.1 in less than two years.
Kseniya Oleksandrivna Paskar is a Ukrainian performance artist; she is involved in sand animation, graphic design, illustration, cinema, and literature. She is a Merited Artist of Ukraine and rose to prominence in 2009 after winning Ukraine's Got Talent. She is the only one to receive two Golden Buzzers on two "The Champions" series of the Got Talent franchise: America's Got Talent: The Champions and Britain's Got Talent: The Champions, both in 2019.
Aleksei I. Goloborodko is a Russian contortionist. In addition to contortion, he has trained in classical and modern dance and Chinese martial arts. He has performed in various arts festivals and competitions, television programs, circuses, and shows. He is currently in the Cirque du Soleil show Luzia.
Das Supertalent is a German talent show, part of the internationally successful Got Talent franchise, presented by Victoria Swarovski and Knossi. Just like in all other versions of the franchise, auditions take place and the judges review their talent and then later the home audience votes in an election to deem who wins. The prize money is €50,000.
Hassan El Hajjami, also known as Haspop, is a French stage director, choreographer and dancer.
Angelique Frances Meunier, known professionally as Havana Brown or DJ Havana Brown, is an Australian DJ, singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 2008, Brown signed with Island Records Australia as a DJ for the record company and began releasing her Crave compilation album series, which featured remixes of songs from other artists. This led to her touring with international artists, including Britney Spears, Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls, Chris Brown and Enrique Iglesias.
Christine Danton (Shillaker), professionally billed as "The Amazing Cristina" is an Australian contortionist who still performed her contortion act at the age of 71 in 2016. Celebrating over 50 years as a professional performer, Christine has been featured on several TV Shows, including "Just for the Record" and "Australia's Got Talent", and has worked internationally in theatre, film and circus. In the early 1960s while performing in Europe, Christine was asked to pose for the medical journal "Hypermobility of Joints", and it was those b&w images that were used in early editions of that publication. Christine performs her contortion act on a regular basis and is also in great demand as an "After Dinner Speaker".
Leilani "Lucky" Franco, is a British contortionist based in London and Berlin.
Angelina Jordan Astar is a Norwegian singer whose audition for the 2014 season of Norway's Got Talent at the age of seven, singing "Gloomy Sunday" in the style of Billie Holiday, became a viral video online and brought her worldwide press coverage. She went on to win the competition at the age of eight with her performance of George Gershwin's "Summertime". Since then, she has worked to raise money on behalf of environmental causes and various children's charities. She always performs barefoot, after befriending a young shoeless girl and giving her shoes to her. Jordan later wrote a book about the experience, Mellom to hjerter .
Marina Mazepa is a Ukrainian actress, model, dancer, and contortionist. She is known for competing in the fourteenth season of America's Got Talent and reaching the quarterfinals. She has also competed in talent show competitions such as So You Think You Can Dance, France's Got Talent, and Ukraine's Everybody Dance! As an actress, she has appeared in films such as Malignant, The Unholy, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.
