Sign for All with Sahera Khan & Chris Fonseca

Looking out, looking in, Looking up

This artwork explores three different perspectives of being within our own worlds and being a part of a collective. We all tend to find ourselves looking out, looking in and looking up but what this means to us all is an important part of self-discovery. All three artists explore what this means to them and how they see themselves within the world in which we live, not only through personal journey’s but also through their creative professions and work. We all belong here and we can explore this when we look out, look in and look up.

Video Editing: The Film Bunch
Director/Producer/Performer: Irina Drytchak
Artists: Sahera Khan & Chris Fonesca

About the artists

Irina Drytchak is Director of Sign for All Community LTD and a British Sign Language Interpreter. Irina is a CODA (Child of a Deaf Adult), she set up her company in 2018 which provides awareness and accessibility for D/deaf families. The company provides a range of services such as Deaf Father Support Group, BSL Story time, Deaf and CODA children workshops, Family Film Clubs, Family Events, BSL Resources and Parent Support Groups.

Sahera Khan is Muslim, Deaf and British Asian, her native language is British Sign Language. She was born in the United Kingdom and her parents were born in India/Pakistan. She lives in London and is a freelance writer/creator, artist/actress, filmmaker and YouTuber. She also does occasional support work with D/deaf children.

She is a member of 1623 Theatre Company and is a trustee and Media Relations Officer for the Deaf Ethnic Women’s Association, supporting D/deaf Ethnic women and girls to achieve better quality of life, rights, education and employment.

Chris Fonseca is a professional dancer, choreographer, teacher and global deaf ambassador, specialising in Urban dance technique, he is based in London, and works extensively across the UK, and overseas, as he often receives international invitations and commissions.

It can be said that his earliest inspirations are credited to actor Michael ‘Boogaloo Shrimp’ Chambers, and old Skool dance techniques such as; Electric Boogaloo, Popping, locking and B-Boying. He is a founding member of Def Motion (2011-13), an all-deaf dance group affiliated to Deaffest – the UK’s annual Deaf Film Festival, during this time he graduated from the University of Wolverhampton with a degree in Graphic Communication. The proceeding eight years has offered him a diverse spectrum of experiences and accomplishments. In 2012, he appeared in the Paralympics opening ceremony (London 2012, UK) illuminating my talents as an accomplished dance artist and creator. More recent activities include; The Black Collective: Black History Month, (2015) Smirnoff: Ice keep it moving campaign, LinkedIn Chase the great campaign (2016), SKY1 what’s up TV BBC: The one show, (2017), BBC THREE: Amazing Human JBL: Sound to See, campaign (2018), BBC: The Greatest Dancer, Wind In The Willows Musical Theatre (Touring UK), CBeebies: Blue Peter (2019).

Premiere: Friday 27 November at 12pm