Speaking Vibrations

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About

Image Description: Speaking Vibrations performers on stage at Ottawa Dance Directive in October 2025. Four performers are standing on a light brown wood floor with their right arms and hands gestured forward. Behind them is a screen with an image of crashing waves. On the far left: a Filipina woman with long black hair, wearing black shirt, red pants and sash. Left of centre, is a Vietnamese woman with black hair tied in a high bun, wearing a dark blue robe. Right of centre is a Black woman, with short fro, wearing a bright green shirt and matching pants. Far right: a white woman with long brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a white, Grecian-style dress. Photo by Curtis Perry.

About Speaking Vibrations:

Speaking Vibrations (est. 2019) was created by ASL poet and storyteller Jo-Anne Bryan, percussive dance artist Carmelle Cachero, literary Hip Hop artist King Kimbit, and contemporary dance artist Jordan Samonas.

Our Creative Team:

creators & performers | Jo-Anne Bryan, Carmelle Cachero, King Kimbit, & Jordan Samonas
producers | Carmelle Cachero & Jordan Samonas
co-director/dramaturg & audio description voice talent | Jacqui Du Toit
co-director/Deaf culture director | Pamela Witcher
stage, technical & production manager | Kat Wong
assistant stage manager & accessibility manager | Drea
lead interpreter | Marianne Kelly
lighting designer | Emilio Sebastiao
projection & video designer | Lesley Marshall

Ten people posing for a photo - all members of the Speaking Vibrations production team.

Image Description: Three photos. Top: Ten Speaking Vibrations production team members standing on stage, smiling at the audience during a tech rehearsal at Great Canadian Theatre Company, in Ottawa, 2022. Middle: Speaking Vibrations performers and directors sitting in chairs on stage with interpreters during a post-show Q&A at SkirtsAfire Festival and SOUND OFF Deaf Theatre Festival in Edmonton, 2024. Bottom: Speaking Vibrations performers, directors, stage/production manager and interpreter standing on stage after receiving an award with the Ottawa Arts Council, 2023. Photos by Andrew Alexander and Lindsay Tran.

What we do:

Speaking Vibrations is a multi and inter-disciplinary/lingual/cultural/sensory performance collective made up of Deaf and hearing artists. We practice and perform in American Sign Language (ASL) and English, and in over 10+ genres such as ASL song/poetry, visual vernacular, signed music, media/video art, rap, spoken word, song, traditional Filipino dance, percussive and contemporary dance. 

Our collective uses innovative technology, media art, stage and sound design to create accessible, inclusive and immersive performance experiences. We are interested in blending and expanding access to different artforms and languages, and in multi-sensory (visual, audial, tactile) art and artmaking; how music is seen, how captions can dance, or how ASL can be felt, and we encourage collaboration across disciplines, between cultures, and among Deaf and disability communities. 

Our show:

Speaking Vibrations is also the name of our uniquely immersive, genre-blending, defying and award-winning production (April Hubbard Creative Access Award, 2023; Corel Endowment Fund for the Arts Award, 2023; Outstanding Ensemble Performance, 2021). Bridging together themes of identity, interculturalism, migration, and Deaf and disability justice, throughout this piece four women explore their diasporic identities and origin stories and along the way, discover and connect with one another. 

This production weaves together the stories of four individuals and how through conversation, curiosity, play, patience and understanding, they reach towards the ideals of belonging, acceptance, validation, reconnection and reclamation. Throughout various encounters, moments and exchanges, we reveal our worlds to each other and for the audience…“this is my story, my life, my roots.” Questions are implied: Black and white – are we the same or different? Daughters and granddaughters of immigrants – where do I come from and where do I belong? Deaf and hearing – how do we dance and make music together?

Accessible Technology & Design:

Accessibility is our aesthetic, a dynamic and constantly evolving area of expertise, a learning process, and a series of decisions and logistics that need to be considered from the beginning of producers and organizers artistic processes and activities.

As a group of Deaf and hearing artists, we are constantly negotiating with and learning more about accessibility. Hiring interpreters or writing an audio description script is not only a functional and necessary part of what we do, but also contributes positively to our creative choices and adds new and interesting dimensions to our work. 

This production features vibrotactile devices, audio description, assistive listening, tactile demonstrations and interpretation and dynamic captions/video projections. There are very few collectives or organizations in Canada integrating the number of accessibility offerings that we do in our show.

Vibrotactile Technology

Handheld vibrotactile devices (built by VibraFusionLab) allow select audience members to experience sound as feeling and vibration. We build sub woofers into stage sets for Deaf performers to have better access to audial cues and sound effects.

Audio Description

Live audio description offers verbal commentary outlining events happening onstage: set and costume descriptions, body language and non-verbal actions like dance, ASL, or visual vernacular.

Assistive Listening

Assistive listening devices amplify the sounds for people with assistive listening needs.

Creative Captions

Performers’ words appear on a screen at the same time as they are signed, spoken or sung. Creative captions have animations with different fonts, colours and shapes.

ASL Performance and ASL Interpretation

This show integrates ASL as a performance language. Pre-show announcements and post show Q&A’s are interpreted in ASL and English.

Tactile Demonstration and Interpretation

We offer a pre-show tactile demonstration of the iconic signs and handshapes of the show. If you require Tactile ASL, Protactile, close vision, or other DeafBlind interpreting services to experience our show, let us know.

Support Persons

If you require an attendant, aide, or companion, they can come to our shows for free.

Speaking Vibrations performers in tech rehearsal. Their director is giving them instructions while they stand on stage. Photo taken from perspective of audience.

Image Description: Six photos side by side. Top Left: Interpreter Andrea Konowalec and stage/production manager Kat Wong at work during a tech rehearsal. Top Middle: Close-up of a vibrotactile device on an audience seat. Top Right: Deaf Culture Director, Pamela Wither at work during a tech rehearsal. Bottom left: Interpreter Andrea Konowalec at work. Bottom middle: Director Jacqui Du Toit giving the performers directions during a tech rehearsal. Bottom Right: Speaking Vibrations performers on stage at SkirtsAfire and SOUND OFF Deaf Theatre Festival for their final bow. Photos by Lindsay Tran.

Speaking Vibrations History

2019

Speaking Vibrations originally evolved from an idea to create a piece with tap dance and ASL. Speaking Vibrations was created in 2019, where it first performed at Uproar Arts Festival in Ottawa, ON. During this show, our audience was outfitted with balloons (low cost conductors of vibration and sound). This performance was a catalyst for our group in sparking their journey towards creating accessible and inclusive. performance events.

Image Description: Photos of Speaking Vibrations in performance at Uproar Arts Festival, 2019. Top left: Jo-Anne Bryan solo ASL song/poetry performance. Top Right: Dance artist Jordan Samonas dancing on a hardwood floor with a shotgun mic. Middle: King Kimbit (left) and Carmelle Cachero (right) face each other in a song/tap dance duet. Bottom Left: An artist’s cartoon rendition of Speaking Vibration’s performers. Bottom Right: King Kimbit (left) and Jo-Anne Bryan (right) perform at Uproar Arts Festival. Photo by Stéphanie Houle / @petite_camera_rouge.

2021

We self-produced an on-demand accessible concert film for Deaf and non-Deaf audiences. Funded and supported by the Ontario Arts Council, and Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC). Filmed at GCTC. We also performed at Ottawa Fringe Festival and were awarded “Most Outstanding Ensemble.”

Video Description: A trailer for Speaking Vibrations 2021 Accessible Concert Film performed at Great Canadian Theatre Company. Contains clips of scenes from Speaking Vibrations, includes audio captions and rolling credits.

2022

We were presented as a part of Great Canadian Theatre Company’s (GCTC) 2021-2022 mainstage season, featuring 75 vibrotactile devices and wheelchair accessible floor pads (VibraFusionLab) and a vibrotactile lobby installation titled VibroDrum/((( Gong ))) by interdisciplinary artist Jesse Stewart. The installation used a special software and computer webcam to track audience movement and translate it into sound and vibration. Nominated for two Prix Rideau awards in Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Design. Funded and supported by Canada Council for the Arts and GCTC.

Image Description: A fun and playful audience member engages with VibroDrum/((( Gong ))) at Speaking Vibrations, GCTC, 2022. Photo by Jordan Samonas.

Image Description: From left to right. Top left: Carmelle Cachero performing a traditional Filipino folk dance. Middle left: A close up of Jordan and Jo-Anne’s hands in the “connection” handshape. Top right: King Kimbit in prayer. Bottom left: Blurry photo of Jordan posing in a deep lunge in front of a bright blue background. Bottom right: Carmelle and Jo-Anne posing with variations of a “world/sphere” handshape.

2023

In 2023 we embarked on our first tour to Halifax Fringe Festival (September 2023) where we were awarded the April Hubbard Creative Access Award. Funded by Canada Council and City of Ottawa. We also performed at Ta Da! Performing Arts Festival, in Wakefield, QC. (September 2023).

2024

In March, we toured to Edmonton and were co-presented by SkirtsAfire Festival and SOUND OFF Deaf Theatre Festival. Funded by Canada Council for the Arts and City of Ottawa. 

Later that spring, we hosted The Speaking Vibrations Method, a 3-day workshop weekend about artmaking and accessibility. We facilitated panel discussions, workshops and lectures on topics such as: Deaf and hearing collaboration, working with interpreters, and accessible technology.

Jo-Anne Bryan, Speaking Vibrations artist on stage with her arms gestured wide open. She is in front of a caption that reads "now one world, a story to be told."
Two Speaking Vibrations performers on stage during the tap dance scene. One is wearing red, the other is wearing white.

Image Description: Top Left: Carmelle and King performing at Halifax Fringe Festival. Middle and top right: Jo-Anne in solo performances. Middle left: Carmelle and Jordan during a tap and body percussion duet. Middle right: Four Speaking Vibrations performers during their final bow, standing in front of a screen with crashing waves. Photos by Mitchell Jodrey and Lindsay Tran.

2025

Speaking Vibrations was co-presented by itself and Ottawa Dance Directive.

Awards and Recognition:


Speaking Vibrations has been nominated and granted several awards:

  • April Hubbard Creative Access Award (Halifax Fringe Festival, 2023).
  • Corel Endowment Fund for the Arts Award (Ottawa Arts Council, 2023).
  • Best Direction and Best Design Nomination (Prix Rideau Awards, 2022)
  • Outstanding Ensemble Performance at the Ottawa Fringe Festival.


Our Funders and Supporters:

Speaking Vibrations is grateful to have been funded several times by the City of Ottawa, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. We are deeply grateful for the essential work of interpreters, technicians, designers and consultants who make our work possible.

Over past 5 years, Speaking Vibrations attracted attention from many newspaper, radio, magazine and online publications. To learn more about past interviews, performances and awards click here.

Image Description: King and Carmelle pose in the GCTC lobby after the 2022 Prix Rideau Awards Ceremony. Bottom left: Carmelle, Emilio Sebastiao (lighting designer) and King smile and pose in front of a tropical background with a frisky swan. Bottom right: Jordan embraces King during a group conversation in at the Prix Rideau Awards.

The Artists

A Filipina woman in a red sash poses against a black background.

Carmelle Cachero

Co-Producer, Creator, Performer

Image Description: A photo of Filipina woman, she has long black hair and wears black shirt, red sash and red wrist ties. She is looking towards the camera and her hands are clasped together.

Carmelle Cachero tells her story through rhythm and her passion for the art form of rhythm tap is a driving force to her pursuits.  In addition to Speaking Vibrations, she currently dances with the Ottawa Rhythm Initiative Ensemble and YOW City Tap.  She co-founded the West Coast Tap Dance Collective and is a former member of The Urban Tap Squad, both based in Vancouver. Carmelle currently  is a Producing Fellow in the ThisGen Fellowship under the partnership of Why Not Theatre and the National Arts Centre. Her love for the arts extends into other aspects of her life working as a Sign Language Interpreter for theatre and the performing arts. 

White woman in a white costume poses on stage against a blue background.

Jordan Samonas

Co-Producer, Creator, Performer

Image Description: A white woman on stage posing in a lunge position in front of a blue background. She is looking down. Her palms are open in the shape of a book. She has long brown hair and wears a white draping fabric like a dress.

Jordan Samonas is a professional dance artist, creator and producer. Visionary and go-getter with over 10+ years experience in indie self-production, she has performed for over 25+ years on stages and at festivals across Canada and internationally. Jordan is co-producer and lead project manager of Speaking Vibrations, an award-winning, multi-disciplinary and accessibility-centering performance collective (SkirtsAfire Festival, SOUND OFF Deaf Theatre Festival, Halifax Fringe, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Ottawa Fringe). A dance “chameleon” with an eclectic movement background (contemporary/modern dance, rhythm tap, kizomba/semba, ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre). Her movement style embodies sound, groove and feeling. She deeply values the rich cultures, traditions and histories of the dances she practices, and believes in dance as communication, community-building and collective joy.

A Black woman in a bright green dress poses against a black background.

Jo-Anne Bryan

Creator, Performer

Image Description: A photo of Black woman on stage in front of a black background. She has a short fro and is wearing a bright green shirt with wide sleeves. She is looking towards the camera. Her hands making the shape of a sphere or globe.

Jo-Anne Anita Bryan is an Ottawa-based Artist experiencing life through the intersections of being Black, Deaf, Queer, and Woman. Her artistry includes American Sign Language (ASL) storytelling and performance. Jo-Anne is one-quarter of the Speaking Vibrations group; they did their first performance at Uproar Arts Festival (2019). Jo-Anne performed her ASL storytelling Where You Come From (Phenomena Festival, 2019) and 400 years (Sound Off Festival, 2021). When not performing, she works as ASL consultant/Deaf interpreter to interpreters and Deaf theatre actors and creates illustrations in her spare time. She wants to ensure that theatre is accessible to Deaf communities.

A Vietnamese woman in a dark blue robe poses against a black background.

King Kimbit

Creator, Performer

Image Description: A photo of a Vietnamese woman who has her black hair tied in a high bun. She is wearing a dark blue robe with draping sleeves. She has her palms open and her eyes closed.

King Kimbit is a literary and vocal Hip-Hop artist based on traditional land of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg. As a daughter of the Vietnamese Diaspora, King yearns to explore the roots of her journey as she expresses through art forms learned from an inner-city upbringing, some of which can be heard on her debut album, Life Lessons Poetically. King is passionate about empowering and encouraging youth, community care, and sharing love through writing, reciting, and the abolition of punitive, carceral institutions, and is currently working on her sophomore album, Healing Trauma From The Projects. 

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