This is Deaf Rave: the biggest deaf club night in the UK. We’re about to go on stage in
front of this huge crowd and sign our hearts out! I really don’t know if we’re ready,
but I guess we’re about to find out...
Hello, I’m Jessica. I live in Brighton with my wife and two very cute dogs.
I’m a YouTuber, I love vintage fashion, and dancing to really cheesy music.
#Hit Me Baby One More Time!
And I’m deaf.
Hi! My name’s Jazzy. I’m 19. I’m a YouTuber, and this is my best friend!
Hi! My name’s Benny. I’m 18. I’m from South East London and...
We’re going clubbing!
[Upbeat dance music]
Hey!
[Jessica] A few weeks ago, Jazzy, Benny and I met for the first time at a recording studio in London.
And if there is one topic of conversation deaf people love, it is the weird things
hearing people sometimes say to us.
Yeah there’s loads.
What’s your top one?
You don’t look deaf…
Oh, people always say that!
Oh God I hate that. What do you expect deaf people to look like?
It’s always!
Do you think deaf people should like have like green skin or something?! Like what…?!
[Laughter]
My top one is, because I’ve got a car, people always go to me:
"Oh I didn’t know deaf people could drive!”
Argh! We’ve got eyes! Like, we’ve got eyes! Argh!
What about you Benny?
Well I would say I love going out clubbing. When people talk to me and I say I’m deaf,
they’d be like “Oh I didn’t realise you were deaf! How can you hear the music?”
Oh God! Don’t go there! I hate that.
Yeah I know I can’t hear the music, but I can feel the vibrations.
Yeah, the vibrations!
You have to meet Sign Kid.
Let’s have a look.
Hey, how you doing?
Hi, good thanks.
Hey, how are you?
Now what I want to introduce to you is how you translate English lyrics into BSL. So,
to show more facial expressions, that’s really important, and make it more like BSL.
Awww this sounds good!
I’m just going to show you line by line. When the beat drops
So When the beat drops I just sign to the beat
Everybody’s watching each other in the club So those are the eyes looking at each other.
So, in the club?
I’m not following particularly the English order. I’m signing “in the club” first
to make it more visual.
So when I’m performing in BSL, whether deaf or hearing, it’s something that’s a visual
spectacle for them – it’s like a movie. There’s the emotion – it can make you
laugh, it can make you cry. You know, BSL is just a beautiful language.
[Heavy bass music of nightclub]
[Jessica] The night is finally here – it’s time for the Deaf Rave!
There are more than 600 people in here, the atmosphere is incredible!
They’re all out to have a good night, and we’re up next on stage!
#When the beat drops
#I just sign to the beat
#With so much dopeness and swagger
So that was pretty awesome wasn’t it?! I thought kinda beforehand that performing in
front of a deaf audience might be a bit scary, but then I think, once I actually walked onto
the stage, it relaxed. I was okay. I think I got it. I think I had, like, the right amount
of dopeness and swagger.
I think we did really well!
Yeah we did really really well! I think it was really good – our first time performing
on stage like that! It was strange performing, but, you know, we just thought we had to do
it. And then once we got to the end it was great!
Everyone was celebrating, it was lovely.
#I Feel The Beat
[Applause and cheering]
Yeah it makes me feel really proud
Yeah high 5!
High 5!
And I love Jazzy and Benny. And now I have new friends, so that’s nice.
It’s been a good day for me.