Inversion? Circus Hand-Balancing and the Discourse of the Upright Body

Abstract In the history of body, upright posture has been theme philosophical reflections on human nature and object scientific explorations practical measures ensuring social norms. It is even possible to locate a certain discourse body as model for understanding what it means be human. However, humans have long experimented with opposite: inverted position. The handstand probably epitome this endeavour invert posture. Within circus performance, hand-balancing developed into an art form its own. This article examines how relates body. argues that participates in paradoxical way, both inverting reinforcing it. expressed not only representational level but also technical experiential levels practice.