The Cast of DEAFersity!
Matthew “JPosh” Schwartz
Artistic Director
JPosh, born in the Bronx of NYC, is known for his powerful signed music performances, alongside being a teacher, figure skater, and performer of all trades. He is currently going for his doctorate in K-12 Leadership/Administration and works as a Director of Artistic Sign Language at Geva Theatre Centre in Rochester, NY. He has traveled around the nation working in theatre, dance, and music festivals as a Deaf performance artist and interpreter. In 2019 via JPosh Productions, he brought together an extraordinary cast of local Deaf Talent in Rochester NY, and now in 2020, he is both proud and honored to work beside and introduce Deaf Talent from around the globe. His hope in this time of need, as we come together as a group, is to bring as many smiles to our audience, and raise as much funds as we possibly can for what truly matters. “Always remember who you are, what you’ve overcome, and what you’ve yet to achieve.”
Antonietta
“BallerinaGoddess” Alfano
BallerinaGoddess is a circus performer who is a professional dancer, entertainer and a contortionist. After professionally dancing for 20+ years, she now provides performance art without the use of words but with the power of energy, visual art, and raw emotion. As the only Deaf Rope Artist/Aerialist in the world, she is honored and excited to join DEAFersity! amongst the wonderful family of Deaf talents. “Be. A Warrior. Because you are One.”
Brandy “Unique the Deaf Dancer” Mimms
Unique the Deaf Dancer was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a Deaf dancer, choreographer, teacher, and founder and director of Listen With Your Eyes Dance Troupe. Her passion for dance started when she was a young child but was not able to go to dance school because of her hearing loss. Her parents did not believe she could handle herself in a hearing dance class. She never gave up nor allowed anyone to stop her from following her passion. She recently graduated from UA Little Rock with a Bachelor’s in Dance. Her first choreographic work was presented at the American College Dance Association 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. She had the opportunity to perform at the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival in 2017 and 2018 in San Francisco, California. She started Listen With Your Dance Troupe because she wants to share her passion and stories with Deaf and Hearing Communities. She also wants to provide locally trained dancers and choreographers opportunities to gain experiences in their dance career. Her number one dream is to become a well-known Deaf Choreographer/Dancer, and is excited to join the cast of DEAFersity!.
Darian “D-Rain” Slattery
D-Rain has always held ASL performances of songs dear because, as an isolated oral deaf teenager, she first began picking up signs by watching translated and interpreted videos of her favorite tracks online (which she followed with ASL classes and community interaction!). Ever since she arrived in Rochester in 2016 she’s been jumping at opportunities to perform, excited to marry her lifelong love of theatre with her newfound love of ASL. Opportunities can be rare, as Darian is Deaf+/DeafDisabled, so DEAFersity! is a project close to her heart. ASL-performed songs remain one of Darian’s favorite forms of ASL performance because they remind her that, with hard work, she’s capable of immense growth. And so are you!
Deynis Luque
Deaf Venezuelan artist. Director of Danzaluz (founded in 1969), company of the Department of Dance - Direction of Culture, La Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), where he is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Actor at Theatre for the Deaf. Bachelor’s in Cultural Development. Plastic artist with expositions in Venezuela, Colombia, and the US. He has danced and presented his choreography in festivals in Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panamá, México, the US, Spain, and South Korea; these festivals include the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival (US), the Santa Marta International Theatre Festival (Colombia), the Busan International Dance Festival (South Korea), the Iquique International Theatre and Dance Festival, and the Ninth National and International Theatre Showcase for Deaf Youth in Spain. Founder of Khedrema Theatre of the Deaf, the IAC Collective, and the Maracaibo International Dance and Theatre Festival of the Deaf. Founder and Artistic Director of the International Online Inclusive Dance Festival 2020. Linguistic model and teacher of Venezuelan Sign Language. Among others, he has received the Best Contemporary Dancer Award awarded by the Mayoral Office of Maracaibo.
Artista Sordo venezolano. Director de Danzaluz (fundada 1969) compañía del Departamento de Danza - Dirección de Cultura de LUZ donde es bailarín, maestro y coreógrafo. Actor de Teatro de Sordos. Licenciado en Desarrollo Cultural. Artista plástico con exposiciones en Venezuela, Colombia y USA. Ha bailado y presentado sus coreografías en festivales de Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panamá, México, Estados Unidos, España y Corea del Sur, como el Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival – USA, Festival Internacional de Teatro de Santa Marta – Colombia, Busan International Dance Festival - Corea del Sur, Festival Internacional de Teatro y Danza de Iquique - Chile y la IX Mostra de Teatre de Nacional i Internacional per a Joves Sords 2005 en Barcelona - España. Fundador de Khedrema Teatro de Sordos, Colectivo IAC y del Festival Internacional de Danza y Teatro de Sordos de Maracaibo. Fundador – Director Artístico del FIODI - Festival Internacional Online de Danza Inclusiva 2020. Modelo lingüístico y maestro de Lengua de Señas Venezolana. Entre otros, Premio Mejor Bailarín de Danza Contemporánea por la Alcaldía de Maracaibo.
Douglas R. Baker
Douglas is a native of Seattle. He has a Bachelor’s in Advertising Photography and has quite the theatre background. From being involved in several major productions of Seattle Children’s Theatre’s Deaf Youth Drama Program to NTID’s Performing Arts Theatre, Doug has a theatrical side to him. Other than theatre, Doug is invested in creating events, clubs, and organizations that entertain. He also helped bring ASL Slam to Denver, CO, by hosting before returning to Rochester, NY, where he co-founded a premier monthly event, Roc That!, where the Deaf community can explore their language, ASL. Above all, he’s a storyteller and a proud member of the ASL community.
Ian Sanborn
Ian hails from New Hampshire and is currently living in North California. He works with Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency as Community Services Coordinator and Advocate. His interest in Arts has grown, starting with National Theatre of the Deaf as an actor and workshop leader for eight years. In the latter days, he had more work exhibited via Sorenson and Convo as a painter, poet, and storyteller for commercials along with the dancing company called, Urban Jazz Dance Company in San Francisco. His most recent involvement with theatre arts are three productions with Deaf Broadway: “Sweeney Todd” as Sweeney, “Into The Woods” as Wolf, and “Sunday in the Park with George” as George. He also participates in ASL Love, aBay Area organization working with The Deaf Gang of Los Angeles to support improv and sketch comedy. His favorite quote is, “When an effort happens there are more bees because there are more flowers.” Joining the DEAFersity! Online team is the next step Ian finds himself as an advocate and artist for encouragement and inspiration. DEAFersity! wasn’t created by one person but a team with a great commitment.
Jason Wong
Jason was named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Artists and specializes in strong beat Hip- Hop, Sign in dance, Jazz dance, and K-Pop. He has been actively participating in various performances and competitions, collaborating with different local and international artists such as renowned Finnish Hip-Hop artist with Deaf - Signmark, Singapore Deaf Dance Crew - Redeafination, British Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, and local singers Jonathan Wong, Phil Lam, C All Star, and Andy Hui, etc. Apart from accepting various local and overseas media interviews, he was also involved in the production of Hong Kong’s first Sign in Dancing Movie “Lightning Dance of Silence,” playing the Deaf male lead character and the Deaf movie director. In 2014, Jason went to study at the Broadway Dance Center in New York to improve his dance techniques. After returning to Hong Kong, Jason has been actively promoting “Silent Dance” and formed “Fun Forest Deaf Dance Crew” with a group of Deaf dancing enthusiasts in 2010. Jason is committed to promoting the Deaf culture. Fun Forest has participated in a variety of dance activities and performances, for example, involved in a TV show of TVB named “I Heart HK”, the dancing group also gained the “The Most Dream Power award” in ‘Free Your Dream Power! Dream Stage 2016’, “The Most Potential in Performing award” in ‘Cross All Borders 2017’ and had the honor of being one of the Ten Regeneration warriors of Regeneration Society in 2016, as well as in many other dance activities and performances. The above awards acknowledge Jason’s selfless contribution to the society.
Jerald Creer
Jerald is 44 years old, an Artist, Educator, Motivator, and Self-Motivator! His talents are Dance, Acting, ASL Song Expression, ASL Storytelling, ASL Poetry, and Vlogging. “I want to contribute my time as the community participates to embrace unity and promote the essence of equality in the Human Race and for Human Rights. I want to say to YOU is to open your mind and heart to have anticipated conversations with an intent to understand and be understood.”
Jo Rose Benfield
Jo Rose is from Austin, Texas, and was born deaf and grew up in Missouri. Music interpreting, theatre, and stage performing have been a talent and passion of hers since she was 5 years old. Growing up deaf in a deaf family to music, this sparked Jo Rose’s lifelong dream to act, dance, and perform. Her most recent experiences include interpreting at live music festivals and concerts, being on the Jimmy Kimmel Show with Wiz Khalifa, interpreting D-PAN’s online Justin Timberlake’s 2018 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, translating three Tove Lo songs on Tove’s YouTube page, performing as Dr. Madden in the musical “Next to Normal,” and was part of a collaborative music video of Kelly Clarkson’s “I Dare You.” Jo Rose is honored to be a part of DEAFersity! because she believes in the power of deaf artistry and equal access to communication.
Kathia Matamoros Jiménez
Kathia is a Deaf belly dancer from Costa Rica who owns “Kais Handmade”. She has developed her work and drive as a talented dancer for over 12 years, and in addition to dance sells handbags through her company at festivals and expos. “I am happy to participate in DEAFersity! because I want to improve the quality of festivals and activities offered for our community. Here I am seeing more different types of Deaf artists and talents than I have ever seen before in my life! I want to share my own experience of what being Deaf means. It is each achievement of these great Deaf talents in our show that will help and encourage other children, teenagers, adults and adults with disabilities to share their own talents, to experiment with self-expression, and to continue to improve in becoming themselves. Thank you for having me!”
Kathia es bailarina sorda de la danza del vientre. Es costarricense y dueña de “Kais Handmade.” Ha desarrollado su trabajo y motivación como bailarina talentosa a lo largo de 12 años, y, además, vende bolsos por su compañía en varios festivales y exposiciones. “Estoy feliz por participar en DEAFersity! porque quiero mejorar la calidad de festivales y actividades para nuestra comunidad. ¡Acá veo más variedad de tipos de artistas sordas y talentos sordos que he visto antes en la vida! Quiero compartirles mi propia experiencia de qué significa ser sorda. Son los logros de cada uno de estos grandes talentos sordos en nuestro show que les ayudarán y animarán a otros niños, adolescentes, adultos y adultos con discapacidades a compartir sus propios talentos, a experimentar con la auto-expresión y a seguir a mejorarse en su búsqueda de sí mismos. ¡Gracias por incluirme!”