When you think of contortionists, images of circus performers (perhaps a la Cirque du Soleil) likely come to mind. The bending, twisting, and stretching seem impossible — and never fail to mesmerize.

It's a misconception that yoga is about improving flexibility. Eye-catching feats like the splits are often used to sell yoga, but teachers say this can be damaging. It's also ableist and off-putting ...

For some, a contortionist is nothing more than a freak-show act, doing something unnatural, not a thing of grace or beauty. But in Mongolia, flexing and bending the body into seemingly impossible ...

Following is a transcript of the video. Aleksei: Many people ask me weird questions, and one of them is, "Aleksei, do you have bones?" and I often say, "Yes, I do have bones, but before I go to work, ...