acrobatics
Circus performer's discipline
Acrobatics is the performance of gymnastic feats requiring agility, balance, and coordination—tumbling, flips, aerial maneuvers, and the like.
The term covers both the activity itself and the skills involved: The circus troupe's acrobatics drew gasps from the audience.
Figuratively, acrobatics describes any impressive display of nimbleness or dexterity, whether physical or mental: The lawyer's verbal acrobatics confused the jury.
Political or rhetorical acrobatics suggests contorted maneuvering to avoid a difficult position.
Full-body forward rotation
- backflipRearward aerial tumble
- handstandInverted balance on palms
- cartwheelLateral body rotation
- tumblingAcrobatic rolling and flipping
aerial · flip · twist · pike · tuck · layout · roundoff · walkover
Suspended acrobatic bar
- ringsCircular bands worn
- silksLustrous woven garments
- hoopRigid circular frame
- beamStructural support member
bars · springboard · vault · tightrope · highwire · lyra · trampoline · mat
Ability to adapt easily
- agilityQuickness and ease
- nimblenessEase of quick movement
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
strength · grace · poise · control · timing · precision · athleticism · endurance
Circus performance director
- troupeTraveling group of performers
- spectacleVisually striking event
- carnivalTraveling amusement attraction
- sideshowSecondary carnival attraction
contortionist · aerialist · catcher · death-defying · sequins · spangles · sawdust · spotlight
Regular sequence of actions
- choreographyDesigning performance movement sequences
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
- audienceGathered viewers collectively
- applauseCollective hand-clapping approval
costumes · music · rehearsal · ensemble · finale · exhibition · act · troupe
Exposure to harm
- fallDescend under gravity
- injuryPhysical or psychological harm
- spotterSafety backup person
- harnessStraps controlling an animal
precariousness · daredevilry · fearlessness · courage · trust · catch · miss · slip
somersault
Full-body forward rotation
tumbling · aerial · flip · twist · pike · tuck · layout · roundoff · walkover · handspring
trapeze
Suspended acrobatic bar
beam · bars · springboard · vault · tightrope · highwire · lyra · trampoline · mat · floor
flexibility
Ability to adapt easily
- agilityQuickness and ease
- nimblenessEase of quick movement
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
coordination · strength · grace · poise · control · timing · precision · athleticism · endurance · proprioception
ringmaster
Circus performance director
- troupeTraveling group of performers
- spectacleVisually striking event
- carnivalTraveling amusement attraction
sideshow · contortionist · aerialist · catcher · death-defying · sequins · spangles · sawdust · spotlight
routine
Regular sequence of actions
- choreographyDesigning performance movement sequences
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
- audienceGathered viewers collectively
applause · costumes · music · rehearsal · ensemble · finale · exhibition · act · troupe · spotlight
danger
Exposure to harm
harness · precariousness · daredevilry · fearlessness · courage · trust · catch · miss · slip · recovery
- folk entertainmentfolk dancing, folk theater, busking, street performance, street theater
- movement artscontemporary dance, modern dance, ballet solo, jazz dance, interpretive dance
- Renaissance fairejousting, maypole dance, feast, masquerade ball, harvest festival
- solo actssolo act, solo performance, one-man show, one-woman show, solo concert
- coordinationbalance, timing, rhythm, synchronization, alignment
- Asian performanceBeijing opera, Peking opera, Chinese opera, lion dance, dragon dance
acrobaticsstillness
Complete lack of motion
immobility · stasis · motionlessness · inertia · sedentariness
acrobaticsclumsiness
Lack of physical grace
awkwardness · plodding · ungainliness · gracelessness · stumbling
acrobaticsminimalism
Aesthetic of reduction
understatement · restraint · subtlety · mime · slow movement
- acrobatic featsSkilled gymnastic performances
- mental acrobaticsConvoluted reasoning to justify
- aerial acrobaticsGymnastic maneuvers in flight
- acrobatic stuntsAthletic aerial maneuvers
- acrobatic routineChoreographed athletic performance sequence
- acrobatic gymnasticsTeam-based balance and tumbling sport