Guest Author - Kelli Deister

Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that sign dance is becoming very popular among the hearing community. In order to provide some clarification, I would like to share that sign dance is a mixture of sign language and choreographed dance. When one signs as they dance, the signing is exaggerated to accompany the dance steps. It’s been my observation that those in the hearing community perform sign dance seemingly out of a respect for the Deaf and their language.

While those that have performed sign dance often mean well, it can and does create difficulties when the individual that signs as they dance is not well educated in American Sign Language. Many times, I have witnessed people signing in exact English, which causes problems for those that have deafness because they have a hard time understanding what message the person is trying to convey through their interpretation of the song. As a hard of hearing individual, having been raised in the hearing community, it is hard enough for me to follow a sign dance that uses exact English. I stumble over trying to keep up with the words being signed, rather than getting clarity on the overall message of the sign dance itself.

I sincerely believe that there are those in the hearing community that perform sign dances because they are genuinely interested in learning American Sign Language and are doing their best to show respect towards the Deaf culture. My only concern with this issue is that I find myself wondering if it might be more of a novelty at times, especially for those that sign dance using exact English.

I would like to make some suggestions for those in the hearing community that want to perform through sign dance. First, please make sure that the person choreographing the sign dance is experienced in American Sign Language. I believe that it is crucial to do one’s best to seek assistance and training from a Deaf individual. This will ensure that the individual performing signs correctly. After all, it isn’t merely about the movement in the dance, but of the message conveyed through the signing. It’s not a good idea for someone to pick up a book and search for the words they would like to sign in the dance. Many times, when a hearing person is learning ASL and they purchase a book, it is challenging for them to find a book that has all of the updated signs. It is also much harder to attempt to learn sign language by looking at a picture in a book, since the reader normally has to reverse the signs they see in the book, so it is signed accurately.

Second, those that are performing the sign dance regularly might want to consider enrolling in a sign language class. This ensures that the individuals performing use the sign language in a grammatically correct manner, as well as according to the rules of American Sign Language. As a person that is hard of hearing, I find it difficult to follow along with a person doing a sign dance, when they sign exact English. This is because rather than signing in ASL, the person signs word for word while the song plays. To me, it feels as though the person performing the sign dance is expecting me to follow along to the song, as if I were a hearing person.

Third, please look for classes in your community, in which Deaf individuals are teaching sign dance and appropriate use of it. Take the time to watch Deaf people as they perform and express their culture. If you have never watched a talk story event that is performed by the Deaf, I highly urge you to consider doing so. It will indeed leave a huge impact on you.

The church I attend, often has people performing in sign dance. However, there are times when I cannot follow because of the signing being done in exact English. Usually, when that occurs, the performer has lost my attention. I find it best when they sign in American Sign Language and it is more appreciated by me as well. I cannot stress enough that the hearing individual should learn American Sign Language, in order to most effectively convey the message they want to express to their audience.