00:04I get my energy from the people.
00:10Meet contortionist Lunga Butelezi.
00:13When they're scared or they scream or they're excited, I get excited.
00:19It's like a tease for me, like I become a naughty kid.
00:22In Cape Town, under the Royal Countess Singara Big Tub,
00:26Lunga contorts herself into some of the most incredible poses.
00:32This is a place where one becomes themselves, accepting your inner sexiness.
00:40Her journey started in a township.
00:43When I was at school, I was that kid where I would stop the teacher and like,
00:48oh, look what I can do, I'll do a split, look what I can do, put my leg behind my
00:52neck.
00:52And my brother, he just came up with this idea one day, like during lunchtime,
00:57get a bunch of kids surrounding me and then I would just bend myself
01:02and then he would have like, you know, something like, you need to put some coins and, and, and.
01:08But I think people just loved it.
01:11You won't believe what happened next.
01:14There was a guy from America named Cedric Walker.
01:18So he saw us busking at the waterfront and he was like, okay, I want you guys to, you know,
01:28be part of my show because it was like these two little kids doing such an amazing act.
01:34So from the age of nine until I turned 16, I was in America.
01:38Her next move took her across the world.
01:42Right after I turned 16, I went to Europe.
01:45I think it was Switzerland.
01:46We did a festival there, the circus princess.
01:51All female artists from around the world come in one festival.
01:56And I won and I was crowned, um, princess of all circuses for that year.
02:03So basically like representing South Africa, cause I was always like the only South African.
02:09And in most cases, the only African.
02:12But the bedazzle of her childhood came with a price.
02:15The part that I felt was missing was the childhood part.
02:20I did homeschool from grade five and never experienced a high school life,
02:25never experienced all of these other things.
02:28But then I had friends that wished they could have my life.
02:34Hulunga contortionism is more than a way to pay the bills.
02:37So without like, you know, doing anything flexible, it feels like something is missing.
02:42It's more than, um, just bending.
02:46It's spiritual.
02:48It's something that heals me.
02:50It is me.
02:51So if I neglect it, then my body is like, hi, we're missing something.
02:58Literally what other people would feel pain doing is what heals me.
03:04And beyond the stage, she contorts herself into motherhood.
03:08With three kids, it's a juggling act.
03:11With my daughter, I was already like bending myself full on.
03:15When she was a month old, I just continued on.
03:17Same thing with my son.
03:19And reclaiming your body after childbirth is every woman's journey.
03:23The older you get, your body is different.
03:26And we just need to find different ways on how to take care of it.
03:32And I've been through a situation where I was super skinny.
03:36I've been through a situation where I was super big.
03:39So I had to find where it is good for me, where I'm not too skinny and I'm not too
03:45fat, but like, I'm healthy, proper, you know, sides.
03:52Performers from all around the world unite on this stage.
03:55The strength you see and beauty at once.
03:59And the costumes of the characters that walk around there, you will never be disappointed.
04:07As the World Countess Singaro prepares to move on, Lunga's journey continues.
04:12I want to open a school in South Africa.
04:15I know a lot of kids, like especially in the townships, you would see a very flexible child.
04:20But then because there's no school and there's no one there to help them, then it doesn't happen.
04:26And I was very fortunate.
04:29From Kat Le Hung to the global stage, she's rewritten the narrative around her body, turning curiosity into respect and
04:37shock into something far more lasting.
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