TO TERHYN TSAAGAN LAKE

CONTORTIONISTS

Contortionism has been a tradition in Mongolia for several hundred years. It was first performed in Mongolia during the Buddhist tsam mask dances, and then included in several famous Mongolian plays. Since 1941 it has been part of the programm at the State Circus, and by the 1969 it had became accepted as an art rather than acrobatics. The girls are trained between the ages of 7 and 14, and reach their peak between 14 and 25.