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.

SEATTLE — Peter Amelia is a trapeze artist and contortionist with Seattle’s Versatile Arts and Arcadia circus schools. "Increasing flexibility has just changed my life so dramatically," Peter said.

“I BEND so I don’t break.” No one knows who first coined this phrase, but search for it online and you will find it accompanying numerous pictures of yogis in various states of contortion. Flexibility ...