acrobatics

Dictionary: ac·ro·bat·ics (ăk'rə-băt'ĭks) pronunciation

1. (used with a pl. verb) The gymnastic moves of an acrobat.
2. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The art, skill, or performance of an acrobat.
(used with a pl. verb) A display of spectacular virtuosic skill and agility: vocal acrobatics.

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World of the Body: acrobatics

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The specialized art of jumping, tumbling, and balancing, requiring agility and skilful control of the body. The word derives from the Greek akrobatos, which may be translated ‘walking on tiptoe’, but which literally means ‘to go to the highest point’ (akros: highest; batos, from the verb for ‘to go’). While the etymology is Greek, the performing art of acrobatics has roots in ancient Chinese culture, where it emerged in tribal rituals related to daily activities. Work, intertribal relations, and religious sacrifices all had their own corresponding acrobatic movements as the art developed alongside music, song, and dance. Acrobatics has maintained its status as a spectacular bodily art; complex gymnastic feats are now often performed with apparatus such as balls, unicycles, trampolines, tightropes, and trapezes.

— Debra Hawhee

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: acrobatics

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Art of jumping, tumbling, and balancing. The art is of ancient origin; acrobats performed leaps, somersaults, and vaults at Egyptian and Greek events. Acrobatic feats were featured in the commedia dell'arte theatre in Europe and in jingxi ("Peking opera") in China. The later use of apparatuses such as poles, tightropes, and flying trapezes made acrobatics a major attraction in circus performances. Its popularity increased in the 20th century with such performers as the Flying Wallendas (see Karl Wallenda).

For more information on acrobatics, visit Britannica.com.

Word Tutor: acrobatics

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IN BRIEF: Difficult tricks, usually involving flips and somersaults.

The trapeze artists performed stunning acrobatics.

Wikipedia: Acrobatics

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Acrobats performing a high wire act

Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports. Acrobatics is most often associated with activities that make extensive use of gymnastic elements, such as acro dance, circus, and gymnastics, but many other athletic activities—such as ballet and diving—may also employ acrobatics. Although acrobatics is most commonly associated with human body performance, it may also apply to other types of performance, such as aerial acrobatics.

1 History
2 Education
3 Activities
4 References

History

Acrobats in a Paris suburb, by Viktor Vasnetsov (1877)

In China, acrobatics have been a part of the culture since the Western Han Dynasty, over 2500 years ago. Acrobatics were part of village harvest festivals.^[1] During the Tang Dynasty, acrobatics saw much the same sort of development as European acrobatics saw during the Middle Ages, with court displays during the 7th through 10th century dominating the practice.^[2] Acrobatics continues to be an important part of modern Chinese variety art.

Acrobatic traditions are found in many Western cultures as well. Minoan art from circa 2000 BC contains depictions of acrobatic feats on the backs of bulls, which may have been a religious ritual.^[3] The noble court displays of the European Middle Ages would often include acrobatic performances along with song, juggling and other activities.

Though the term initially applied to tightrope walking, in the 19th century, a form of performance art including circus acts began to use the term as well. In the late 19th century, tumbling and other acrobatic and gymnastic activities became competitive sport in Europe.

Acrobatics has often served as a key subject for fine art. An example of this is Acrobats at the Cirque Fernando (Francisca and Angelina Wartenberg) by Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, which depicts two German acrobatic sisters.

Education

Traditionally, acrobatic skills were kept within families and passed from parents to children. This is still true especially among family circus groups, although most acrobats are now taught by larger scale education systems as circuses are now made up of many more professionals than they used to be.^{[citation needed]}

Schools that specialize in acrobatics training provide a constant flow of new acrobatic artists. Some of these schools are independently operated, and some are supported and affiliated with circuses.^{[citation needed]}

Activities

High wire act

Korean acrobat walking, Jultagi

References

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Translations: Acrobatics

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Dansk (Danish)
n. pl. - akrobatik
n. - akrobatik

Nederlands (Dutch)
acrobatiek, indrukwekkende vertoning van vaardigheid

Français (French)
n. pl. - acrobatie, aisance remarquable
n. - acrobatie

Deutsch (German)
n. pl. - Akrobatik, Kunststücke
n. - Akrobatik, Kunststücke

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. pl. - ακροβασίες, ακροβατικά

Italiano (Italian)
acrobatica, acrobazia

Português (Portuguese)
n. pl. - acrobacia (f)

Русский (Russian)
акробатика

Español (Spanish)
n. pl. - acrobacia
n. - acrobacia

Svenska (Swedish)
n. pl. - akrobatik

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
杂技, 巧妙手法, 技巧, 杂技表演, 特技飞行

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. pl. - 雜技, 巧妙手法, 技巧, 雜技表演, 特技飛行
n. - 雜技, 巧妙手法, 技巧, 雜技表演, 特技飛行

한국어 (Korean)
n. pl. - 곡예[비행]

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 軽業, 曲芸, 軽業の演技

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الجمع) ألألعاب ألبهلوانيه, ألبهلوانيات‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. pl. - ‮לוליינות, אקרובטיקה, דבר המבוצע בקלות יתרה‬
n. - ‮אמנות הלוליינות (אקרובטיקה), אקרובטיקה‬

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		World of the Body. The Oxford Companion to the Body. Copyright © 2001, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more
		Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved. eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial. Read more
		Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Acrobatics". Read more
		Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more

acrobatics

Contents

History

Education

Activities

References