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'Sencity' music party gets the deaf dancing to the beat | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 17.08.2010
How can the hearing impaired experience music? A club in Berlin has just held the German premier of 'Sencity', a music party with vibrating dance floors, aroma jockeys and sign language dancers.
'Sencity' is a mix of music, dance, theater, circus and audience participation that makes use of all the senses to interpret the sounds the deaf cannot hear.
The world tour of 'Sencity' is currently in Berlin, after stops in Finland, South Africa, Brazil, Jamaica and the United States.
The idea to make the seemingly impossible possible - namely, music events for the deaf - began a few years ago with Ronald Lichtenberg of the Netherlands and the Skyway Foundation.
They wanted to develop entertainment for the hearing impaired that was more than just the usual sign language or subtitles one sees on television or at other events for the deaf.
Music and a hint of mint
As the show in Berlin gets underway, Denise Ilktac is standing on stage in a glittering evening gown. "Hello Berlin", she shouts to an audience of some 700 party guests that includes people who can hear and those who cannot. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The vibrating floor conveys the music beat to the dancers with a hint of mint in the air
Denise is the emcee, and has the only speaking part. She is accompanied by ACE, the circus director, alias Seyed Ali Mahbaz, who communicates what she says to the audience in sign language. "Ace", says Denise, "is stone deaf… applause for the circus director!"
DJ Alexkid is from France and cranks up the music. The heavy bass rumbles out of the speakers; cartoons and videos appear on three screens. At the side of the stage, two over-sized fans disperse a fragrant mist across the room that fits the music. The aroma jockey has just decided on mint.
The first couples head to the dance floor, which is a special construction of about 20 square meters that vibrates to the sound of the music. "The vibrations are very strong; it's great for dancing," says Thomas Gruber, one of the deaf participants.
But the other senses don't come up short either. People are already lined up for the massage chairs in the lobby and two hairdressers have enough to do. A young man with a basket is handing out suckers and popcorn. Everywhere you look people are gesticulating in sign language.
Interpretive dance with a twist
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The party was great fun for all
One of the high points of the evening is the sign dancers. Their task is to interpret the music and lyrics of songs with their choreography - a mixture of sign language and dance. In the audience, countless arms with waving hands shoot up into the air- sign language for applause.
But even those who can hear are enthralled. "That really gets under your skin," says a young woman in the crowd. For many people who can hear this is a new experience to be a minority in a crowd that cannot hear.
Star of the evening
The other high point is the deaf rapper, Signmark, alias Marko Vuoriheimo, of Finland. Signmark does his rapper rhymes in sign language. "When I was young, my teacher and my friends all said 'you're deaf, you can't play music.' And now I'm giving a concert in Berlin," he says.
Rapper Brandon is the voice of Signmark so that those who can hear are not left out.
Signmark gets a thunderous welcome and the party takes off with the hearing and the hearing impaired partying into the wee hours of the night.
How can the hearing impaired experience music? A club in Berlin has just held the German premier of 'Sencity', a music party with vibrating dance floors, aroma jockeys and sign language dancers.
'Sencity' is a mix of music, dance, theater, circus and audience participation that makes use of all the senses to interpret the sounds the deaf cannot hear.
The world tour of 'Sencity' is currently in Berlin, after stops in Finland, South Africa, Brazil, Jamaica and the United States.
The idea to make the seemingly impossible possible - namely, music events for the deaf - began a few years ago with Ronald Lichtenberg of the Netherlands and the Skyway Foundation.
They wanted to develop entertainment for the hearing impaired that was more than just the usual sign language or subtitles one sees on television or at other events for the deaf.
Music and a hint of mint
As the show in Berlin gets underway, Denise Ilktac is standing on stage in a glittering evening gown. "Hello Berlin", she shouts to an audience of some 700 party guests that includes people who can hear and those who cannot. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The vibrating floor conveys the music beat to the dancers with a hint of mint in the air
Denise is the emcee, and has the only speaking part. She is accompanied by ACE, the circus director, alias Seyed Ali Mahbaz, who communicates what she says to the audience in sign language. "Ace", says Denise, "is stone deaf… applause for the circus director!"
DJ Alexkid is from France and cranks up the music. The heavy bass rumbles out of the speakers; cartoons and videos appear on three screens. At the side of the stage, two over-sized fans disperse a fragrant mist across the room that fits the music. The aroma jockey has just decided on mint.
The first couples head to the dance floor, which is a special construction of about 20 square meters that vibrates to the sound of the music. "The vibrations are very strong; it's great for dancing," says Thomas Gruber, one of the deaf participants.
But the other senses don't come up short either. People are already lined up for the massage chairs in the lobby and two hairdressers have enough to do. A young man with a basket is handing out suckers and popcorn. Everywhere you look people are gesticulating in sign language.
Interpretive dance with a twist
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The party was great fun for all
One of the high points of the evening is the sign dancers. Their task is to interpret the music and lyrics of songs with their choreography - a mixture of sign language and dance. In the audience, countless arms with waving hands shoot up into the air- sign language for applause.
But even those who can hear are enthralled. "That really gets under your skin," says a young woman in the crowd. For many people who can hear this is a new experience to be a minority in a crowd that cannot hear.
Star of the evening
The other high point is the deaf rapper, Signmark, alias Marko Vuoriheimo, of Finland. Signmark does his rapper rhymes in sign language. "When I was young, my teacher and my friends all said 'you're deaf, you can't play music.' And now I'm giving a concert in Berlin," he says.
Rapper Brandon is the voice of Signmark so that those who can hear are not left out.
Signmark gets a thunderous welcome and the party takes off with the hearing and the hearing impaired partying into the wee hours of the night.
