Storytelling and signing at Goshen College Feb. 27; Program features American and Danish Sign Language

GOSHEN, Ind. – The storytellers and their words will be flying fast and furious – you will understand everything, but you won’t hear a thing.

An evening of signing, storytelling, mime and dance will feature deaf performers Jørgen “Red Top” Nielsen of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Peter Cook of Chicago, Ill., in “Feed Your Eyes, Mind and Spirit” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 in Goshen College’s new Music Center Rieth Recital Hall.

The program will feature storytelling by Nielson. Performed in Danish Sign Language (DSL), these stories are readily accessible to all audiences regardless of their language or age. Nielson has traveled all over the world, but this is his first tour of the U.S. Midwest. Nielson is famous for his style of telling the wonderful stories of Hans Christian Anderson.

Cook will perform in the opening act of the evening. His original stories are created using a combination of American Sign Language (ASL), mime and dance. Cook is an internationally known Deaf performing artist whose work incorporates ASL, pantomime, storytelling, acting and movement. He has traveled extensively around the United States, Europe and Asia. He is a co-founder of “Flying Words Project,” a nonprofit organization, and PC Productions to promote ASL literature and Deaf performers. Cook currently lives in Chicago and teaches at Purdue University.

The performance will be interpreted into spoken English. Rieth Recital Hall is wheelchair accessible.

Tickets for this event are $5 per person. They may be purchased by calling (574) 535-7566 or e-mailing joannp@goshen.edu. Deaf callers please use relay. Advance ticket purchase is recommended, as seats are limited.

This event is sponsored by Goshen College’s American Sign Language Interpreter Training Program, a major that began in 2002. This program at Goshen College offers students the opportunity to appreciate the language, culture, contributions and history of the Deaf community in the United States.

Goshen College is a national liberal arts college known for leadership in international education, service-learning and peace and justice issues in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program and exceptional educational value, GC serves about 1,000 students in both traditional and nontraditional programs. The college earned citations of excellence among U.S.News & World Report, Yahoo! and Barron’s Best Buys in Higher Education. For more information, visit www.goshen.edu.

Editors: For more information, contact Myron Yoder, Director of the ASL Interpreter Training Program, at (574) 535-7382 or myronry@goshen.edu.



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