They translate the concerts into sign language, “we must be ready for an improvisation from the artist, a reaction from the audience”

This is the beautiful feeling of the Nancy Jazz Pulsation 2024 stage. The sign language translation of Yamé and Tiff’s concerts for the deaf and hard of hearing.

In front of the spectators at Nancy Jazz Pulsations, on September 16, Périnne Diot was in concert to translate the songs of Yamé and Tif into sign language. She is a chansigneur, in other words she translates the lyrics of songs live for the deaf and hard of hearing. She is 37 years old. In Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne), after a Master’s degree in sign language interpreting, she joined the collective 10 Doigts En Cavale.“I have I have always been very frustrated at not being able to make myself understood to those who are hard of hearing. I realize that I always had to write. So I learned the language.”she said.

She can “play” all music, rap, pop, rock, French song… And each time, before going on stage, there is a lot of preparation, “We need time to adapt. We are sent the texts and audios about three months in advance.” Then you have to translate the text into sign language, “we put it to music and learn everything by heart”. The 10 Fingers on the Run collective has existed for five years, “we formed just before Covid”.

During the show, they are either on the courtyard side or the garden side, “it doesn’t matter, we put ourselves anywhere, but we have to be seen.” So in Nancy, they were on stage for the concerts of Yamé, Franco-Cameroonian singer and rapper, and Tif, singer of both rap and Andalusian music. “When the show starts all the work is already done,” specifies Perrine. Then it’s a real challenge. “We must be ready for an improvisation from the artist, a change of tone, a reaction from the audience.”

Romane Henry is the disability representative for Nancy Jazz Pulsations (NJP). “This is the second time that we have offered concerts translated into sign language. The first was in 2021, three years ago,” she said.

This year she received a request from the Institute for Deaf Youth in Jarville, in the suburbs of Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle), to come to the NJP concerts. “Afterwards it’s a fairly simple organization. We reserve a place for them in front of the show obviously, and they watch the interpreter translators.” And it’s a real success. “For everyone. In the audience, there were people who told us that it was really great”said Romane.

The collective tours throughout France. At all festivals. Like here in this video at Printemps de Bourges.

This Saturday October 19, 2024, the collective is in Brittany, “we travel across France”. He will be in concert in Quérin with the group “Mes Souliers sont rouge” on the big top stage.