Sentence:  With shout and slow dance , with tears and song , with scream and <WSD>contortion</WSD> , the corner group was beset by hysteria and shivering , wailing , shouting , possession of something that seemed like an alien and outside force . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)