The 2008 Paralympics may have come and gone, but the inspiring videos of the 320 hearing-impaired and deaf dancers who performed the 'Hello Stars' dance in Beijing will continue to live on.
Learning choreography without being able to hear the music is a challenging endeavor. The deaf dancers that performed at the 2008 Paralympics practiced with visual cues until they could 'feel' the music.
For hearing-impaired and deaf dancers, the Paralympic Games were just another performance in an already-packed tour calendar. For example, the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe is in the middle of a 28-show whirlwind tour of Asia before embarking on a two-week journey to the United States.
Without the global exposure the Paralympics provides, however, there wouldn't have been an audience for these talented deaf dancers.
Deaf Dancers
Paralympic 'Hello Stars' Performance
Trend Themes
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Deaf-performed Shows — There is an opportunity to create more platforms for deaf performers to showcase their talents.
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Visual-based Choreography Learning — There is an opportunity for technology that can help deaf dancers learn choreography through visual cues.
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Increased Representation of Deaf People in Entertainment Industry — There is an opportunity to increase the presence and representation of deaf people in film, TV, and music.
Industry Implications
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Entertainment — There is an opportunity for the entertainment industry to create more opportunities for deaf performers and showcase their talents.
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Technology — There is an opportunity for the technology industry to develop tools for choreography learning that are visual-based.
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Film and TV Production — There is an opportunity for film and TV production companies to increase the representation of deaf actors and characters in their productions.