In reply to Mr Fuller:
I have been doing some aerial acrobatics for the past year. A climbing friend put me on to it and its pretty fun. My teacher is amazing and super bendy. Half of your class is warming up and cooling down / stretching.
My flexibility wasn't as bad as yours when i started, but I couldn't do the splits - I was no where near.
I now do this warmup and cool down stretching before I climb too, and maybe another time on the weekend. So im doing this about 3 times a week.
I now have my front splits on one side ( I injured my hamstring/glutes which stops me getting the other side quite yet, but thats getting better and better each time).
When warming up, my splits are very nearly there, but is much easier and more comfortable after I have been training for an hour or so and are really warm.
So, I wont ever be good enough to join Cirque de Soleil but stretching definitely works, and can be addictive once you get in to it and see the benefit.
I know my teacher uses many yoga/pilates techniques so a class in that may give you some inspiration?