Date of Defense
2-1-2024
Date of Graduation
12-2024
Department
Dance
First Advisor
Kelsey Paschich
Second Advisor
Megan Slayter
Abstract
My honors thesis project was a dance for camera or a dance film that I created as my senior capstone project for my BA dance degree. I wanted to create a film that increased awareness surrounding the accessibility of American Sign Language (ASL) for dancers and through dance. I wanted to show how dance and ASL can be seen as similar through the lense of them both being languages and ways of communicating using movement of the body. This idea is where the title stems from: “Expression in Motion”. Both ASL and dance are forms of expressing oneself, and they both use motion as the main source of communication. My ultimate goal was to create a final product that provided an equal viewing experience for a deaf individual as it would a hearing individual. To do so, I incorporated captioning for any sound, or absence of sound, along with captioning for any ASL that was utilized in the film. I offered an opening shot of one of the dancers explaining these goals using sign language to offer a funneled perspective while watching the film. My goal for every individual who watches my video is to strike a bit of curiosity. Whether that be to learn more about ASL, learn more about dance, or learn more about how the two can be combined. I want those who view my project to leave wanting to learn more. This project was the first step for me in how I want to combine my love for ASL and for dance in my future. I plan to use this project as a stepping stone for me to be able to teach dance classes in which the main form of communication is ASL. This project succeeded in all avenues I had hoped it would, and I am very grateful for this experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyH936EtoW4
Recommended Citation
Supanich, Jocelyn, "Accessibility in ASL Through Dance" (2024). Honors Theses. 3883.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/3883
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access
Reflection