As guitar riffs and growling Spanish vocals pound out of the tinny speakers of an iPhone, Neil Cordova grooves to the rhythm, scowling and moving his body to invoke the tone of the music. His hands shift from one shape to another, moving across the space in front of him in intricate patterns that symbolize crowds, lovers, cities, and the ocean.
Saturday, he will repeat the display in front of thousands as part of Latin rock band El Tri’s performance at Music in the Park. But he isn’t a dancer or entertainer.
Cordova and his team are interpreting the music and lyrics into American Sign Language, or ASL, allowing deaf concertgoers to experience rocking out along with their hearing peers. The concert will make history for the rock band and for Music in the Park — marking the first time in its 35-year history that the concert series will feature ASL interpretation, and signaling a growing movement towards increased accessibility for deaf concertgoers.
“Having the interpreters that are signing the lyrics, that is a huge game-changer, because now that’s providing the access of the deaf community to be able to get that connection,” said Eduardo Ayala, a deaf actor, teacher and ASL interpreter based in the LA area. “You can get the full experience. And it makes a huge, huge difference.”
A singer Joss Stone of Great Britain performs during the 17th Colours of Ostrava music festival in Dolni Vitkovice complex, Ostrava, Czech Republic. At left is Amber Galloway Galleg, sign language interpreter specializing in the interpretation of concerts and music festivals. Photo/Jaroslav Ozana (CTK via AP Images)
While this marks a historic moment for El Tri and Music in the Park, ASL interpretation of music goes back more than a century, from the first recorded interpretation of the Star Spangled Banner in 1902. Now ASL interpreters can be seen at huge venues like the Super Bowl, with superstars like Beyoncé or Kendrick Lamar, or offering video interpretation of popular artists like Bad Bunny, and others.
While some hearing people conflate music with sound, many in the deaf community are avid music fans or concertgoers. Some deaf people have some slight residual hearing, others may feel the thump of the bass, and many may enjoy the spectacle of the music or the feeling of the crowd. Ayala recalls a recent metal concert where there was no interpreter, but he was able to dive into the mosh pit and rock out with other metalheads.
“It was fun, it was enjoyable. But honestly, having an interpreter there would have made it the best,” he recalled.
For Music in the Park, organizers are trying to deliver the best possible experience to deaf concertgoers.
The interpretation this Saturday will involve a team of three people. Two interpreters will work together offstage to interpret the lyrics in real time for an onstage interpreter. Then the onstage interpreter will perform the interpretation, complete with rhythm and facial expression.
The idea for sign language at Saturday’s concert came from Joan Hammel, a spokesperson for Comcast …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
