Mongolian Contortion
Arlington, Virginia

Mandkhai Erdembat was born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and traveled across the globe to perform contortion on cruise ships, at festivals, and dinner shows before moving to the United States in 2012.

Mongolian contortion has existed since the twelfth century as a dance called Uran Nugaralt, which translates to “artistic bending.” This kind of dance was prominent in the royal palaces of Mongolia before it became associated with the international success of the Mongolian State Circus in the 1940s. To this day, Mongolian contortionists are known around the world for their mastery in the field.