Fremont BART Station: Passengers at the Fremont, CA. USA Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) were treated to a Flash Mob Signed and Dance performance by hundreds of Children of Deaf Adults, (Codas) on Wednesday, July 21, 2010.
It is believed this is the first time a Flash Mob has been performed and choreographed in signed languages. Codas from around the world attended the groups 25th Anniversary Conference.
The Flash Mob was performed in three different sign languages: American Sign Language (ASL), Australian Sign Language, (Auslan), and German Sign Language, (DGS) Deutsche Gebaerdensprache, and finally, the chorus in International Sign, (IS).
A press release issued here yesterday said the Flash Mob Signed and Dancing performance was to show support for the organization Children of Deaf Adults, International. http://www.coda-international.org
Starting the sudden signing were two Codas, Michael Velez and Sherry Hicks famed Coda entertainers from the United States of Half-n-Half who have created a body of work in ASL that is shared with Deaf, hearing and Coda. www.half-n-half.com
Julie Judd and Liza Clews, Coda performers from Australia, joined and interjected Auslan with the same electrifying energy. They were followed by a dynamic performance given by Suzo Lange and Sabine Gossner in DGS, (Deutsche Gebaerdensprache).
Presented in three different sign languages, the music and cheers caught most travelers by surprise. They hurried to see what the commotion was about and were treated to a massive group of signing Codas performing the classic Flash Mob song, “Don’t Stop Believin,” by Journey, in International Sign.
Suddenly, as the song progressed, dozens of Codas flowed out into the BART station where in front of the crowd they began performing in International Sign, (IS). Curious travelers began asking around to see what these people were up to, and before long they realized that it was a Flash Mob performance.
Flash Mob performers were disguised as ordinary travelers, they then joined in larger than life, filling up the Fremont BART station. It was not long before all the ‘travelers’ were signing in unison, making it an amazing spectacle. The shouts and whistles from the observers only served to fuel the high energy performance. The song they signed and danced to was Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin,’ performed by the Glee cast.
In the U.S. “musically inspired ASL storytelling” is a craft using music as a backdrop while lyrics are changed to a cultural translation, giving audiences vignettes and excerpts of the Coda life,” said Sherry Hicks, a Coda performer who directed the Flash Mob performance.
Sherry Hicks, Michael Velez and Vincent James hope to be able to cultivate the talents of Codas from around the world to showcase their talent to the public.
We are Coda!
CODA International Inc. is a non-profit organization serving hearing adults of Deaf parents. CODA addresses our bi-cultural identity through conferences, support groups, resource development and outreach.
For donations in order to support on-going CODA worldwide outreach efforts and scholarship support go to www.coda-international.org
UNI-Que Productions 2010
Sherry Hicks
Codaflashmob@gmail.com
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