THE STORIES: ACROBATS. Two acrobats go valiantly through the complexities of their routine, smiling toothily, bowing on cue, and, all the while, conducting a sotto voce but lacerating marital spat. He threatens to drop her, she vows to leave him--bu

Semiotics is long on theoretical, often obscure discourses, but short on applications that demonstrate with clarity the applicability of its methods. This book confronts a challenging object, the circus, and endeavors to describe its performances in ways that explain how circus acts produce meaning and cause a deep emotional involvement for their audiences. The approach is not top-down, such as would be a method that would dogmatically apply a particular theory to fully explain the phenomena in terms of this theory alone. Epistemologically, this book is an example of the bottom-up strategy, which consists of considering first the objects and heuristically calling upon methodological resources in a broad theoretical array to come to grips with the problems that are encountered. Any circus act is a complex event that has cognitive and emotional dimensions. It is also a part of a history and an institution, and cannot be abstracted from its cultural and sociological contexts. Thus the range of relevant theoretical and methodological approaches must include structural semiotics, biosemiotics, pragmatics, socio-semiotics, cultural anthropology, the cognitive sciences, the psychology and sociology of emotions, to name only the most important. But the ultimate focus of this book is to enable the readers to better understand the meaning of circus performances and to appreciate the skills and creativity of this traditional popular art, which constantly renews itself from generation to generation.

The term "neuromechanics" defines an integrative approach that combines the neuromuscular control and the biomechanical aspects of physical behavior in humans and animals. Crucial to this approach is a detailed description and modeling of the interaction between the nervous system and the controlled biomechanical plant. Only then do we have the broader context within which to understand evolution, movement mechanics, neural control, energetics, disability and rehabilitation. In addition to enabling new basic science directions, understanding the interrelations between movement neural and mechanical function should also be leveraged for the development of personalized wearable technologies to augment or restore the motor capabilities of healthy or impaired individuals. Similarly, this understanding will empower us to revisit current approaches to the design and control of robotic and humanoid systems to produce truly versatile human-like physical behavior and adaptation in real-world environments. This Research Topic is therefore poised at an opportune moment to promote understanding of apparently disparate topics into a coherent focus.

On Line: Drawing Through the Twentieth Century explores the radical transformation of drawing that began during the last century as numerous artists critically re-examined the traditional concepts of the medium. In a revolutionary departure from the institutional definition of drawing and from reliance on paper as the fundamental support material, artists instead pushed the line into real space, expanding the medium's relationship to gesture and form and connecting it with painting, sculpture, photography, film and dance. Published in conjunction with an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, On Line presents a discursive history of mark-making through nearly 250 works by 100 artists, including Aleksandr Rodchenko, Alexander Calder, Karel Malich, Eva Hesse, Anna Maria Maiolino, Richard Tuttle, Mona Hatoum and Monika Grzymala, among many others. Essays by the curators illuminate individual practices and examine broader themes, such as the exploration of the line by the avant-garde and the relationship between drawing and dance.

"I sometimes like to daydream that if we were all somehow simultaneously outed as lechers and perverts and sentimental slobs, it might be, after the initial shock of disillusionment, liberating. It might be a relief to quit maintaining this rigid pose of normalcy and own up to the outlaws and monsters we are"--

Move, Connect, Play is a book detailing the core principles of Acroyoga, a practice that melds the spectacle of circus arts with the healing power of massage and the breathwork of yoga. Get ready to learn how to fly. AcroYoga is a movement practice that combines the balance and connection of yoga with the fitness and intensity of acrobatics, as well as the holistic healing power of physical therapy. People come to it for all kinds of reasons—they may have chronic pain and are looking for a long-term solution to manage it, they may want to lose weight, gain muscle or increase their mobility, or maybe they just want to experience it with their friends or partners to deepen their relationships. Some even just want to have some fun together. In Move, Connect, Play, pounder of AcroYoga International Jason Nemer shares the core principles of AcroYoga for athletic performance and for life, as well as 10 key areas of training (strength, flexibility, technique, balance, breath, gravity, relationships, mental, emotional, and sustainability). He also offers specific exercises and routines for how to train safely and effectively in each area. This is a book that millions of AcroYogis around the world have long been waiting for, and one that is an essential read for high-performance athletes, weekend health warriors, and spiritual seekers alike.