Acrobatics is the art of performing impressive physical feats that require exceptional balance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. Acrobats might flip through the air, balance on their hands, walk across tightropes, or twist their bodies into positions that seem impossible.

You've probably seen acrobatics at the circus, where performers somersault on trampolines, swing from trapezes high above the audience, or create human pyramids by standing on each other's shoulders. Gymnasts use acrobatics when they tumble across floor mats or vault over equipment. Divers perform acrobatic moves in the air before splashing into the pool.

Learning acrobatics takes years of practice and training. Professional acrobats, including those in Cirque du Soleil, spend hours every day perfecting their skills and building the muscle control needed to make difficult moves look graceful and effortless.

You might hear someone describe a particularly athletic catch in baseball or an impressive skateboard trick as acrobatic, meaning it required the kind of body control and coordination that acrobats have.