Legs curled over her back and toes alongside her rosy cheeks, her teacher reminds her to breath as drops of sweat run down her forehead. At five years old, she is the youngest student at the Mongolian State Circus’ studio of contortion.

“This is only her third day, her body hasn’t adjusted yet,” comments D. Otgontsetseg, principal and head coach of the contortion studio.

“But this year we’ve had very many students coming in, many young students.”

Tucked in the back of a crumbling building attached to the circus, the small training room gets packed full three times a day with students from five years old to their early twenties.

Students rush in, put on their exercise clothes and start twisting their bodies with little signs of pain or displeasure. However, not all students can handle the extreme physical pressures.

“About 40 percent of all the students who start training to be a contortionist here quit very soon. Most students who make it through the first year stay here and graduate after four or five years,” said Otgontsetseg.

However, the allure of performing domestically and internationally keeps students returning to classes year after year, she said.

“Depending on contracts, we’ll go abroad maybe four times a year for months at a time.”

Classes tend to be dominated by females with most males leaving contortion to perform as other acrobats or trapeze artists, said the lone male student.

All images Copyright Luke Distelhorst