Kim Wohlsein has always dreamed of being in an ASL dance music video, so she decided to make one. In the summer of 2014, the HideAway dance project was born.
Once upon a time, Kim saw an awesome music video with intricate dancing and lyrics she really loved. This music video was entitled “Hideaway” by Kiesza. She showed the music video to good friend Scott Selby, a dance instructor at 2 Deaf Feet Dance Collective (2DF). Scott used his dance, sign language and choreography skills to translate the dance video into a signed musical and dance performance.
Later that year, Kim found out she was pregnant. As they were preparing to produce the video, the weather turned cold and wet. Kim didn’t want to slip and fall on the ice. The project was put on hold until after her baby, Zebra was born.
In 2016, Kim and 2DF rebooted the HideAway sign dance project with new production equipment, much nicer weather and a cast of amazing dancers from the Deaf and hearing community!
HideAway debuts, May 29th 2016 at the CymaSpace Arts & Accessibility Showcase Gala 2016. Come check it out!
Mark Ruskamp & Portland Community Media
Thanks to Mark Ruskamp and Portland Community Media (PCM), CymaSpace volunteers were able to receive invaluable field production training and utilize high-end video equipment for the production.
Portland Community Media is a nonprofit, public benefit organization dedicated to promoting local, non-commercial media developed and produced in the community, by the community and for the community.
Lead ASL Artist Performer
Kim’s dream is to help produce videos that incorporate music, dance and American Sign language. In 2013, Kim was in the right place and time to meet Myles de Bastion, who is the founder of CymaSpace, a non-profit organization that provides access to music and art events to the Deaf and hard of hearing. With resources available, the HideAway project was produced.
Kim has dabbled in various educational paths before taking American Sign Language (ASL) at Portland Community College and later enrolling in the Interpreter Training Program (ITP). She is a co-founder of Deaf-Allies Events and founder of a life coaching business called This Natural Glow.
An eight-year native of Portland, Oregon. Kim has acted in high school plays and for the ASL Comedy Troupe. In Kim’s spare time, she enjoys blues dancing, cooking, doing yoga, meditation & Freeletics, playing hide and seek her orange cat Cheddar, & snuggling with her partner Myles and toddler, Zebra.
DP, Director & Filmmaker Red Lab Films
A Portland, Oregon native. Travis’ passion for storytelling came to light after realizing the power video and photo have as a personal scrapbook.
Travis have since dedicated his waking hours to perfecting his craft. He thrives on collaboration and credit his successes to those who challenge and inspire him. Travis’ work emphasizes community and is an attempt to bridge gaps between cultures locally and globally.
Travis currently lives in Portland, with his trusty labrador retriever, Bruce, attempting to capture the character of the Pacific Northwest. He is available for corporate, commercial, documentary, independent film and aerial cinematography assignments at Red Lab Films.
Choreographer & Lead Dancer (2 Deaf Feet Dance Collective)
2 Deaf Feet Dance Collective Founder and Choreographer Scott Selby was born Deaf. He has trained in a variety of dance styles, including Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Hip-Hop.
Before choreographing for the ASL dance video project HideAway, he worked and choreographed for several productions on the West Coast, including being a hip-hop dance instructor in Arcata, California and an assistant choreographer in Eureka, California. Scott’s desire is to introduce and promote dance in the Deaf/HH & ASL community.
Producer & Dancer
Myles de Bastion is a User Interaction & Product Designer, Artistic Director, Musician and Creative-altruist who develops technology and art installations that enables sound to be experienced as light and vibration. Myles is also a dancer in Hideaway.
Myles, a British-American, was born profoundly Deaf to hearing parents in Vermont. He was raised and schooled in England (UK) and received a BA Degree in computer animation from Teesside University (UK). He moved to Brooklyn NY at the age of 21 where he began a career in the arts, performing regularly nationally with a rotating cast of musicians and artists under his pseudonym Misled Bayonets.
In 2012 Myles moved to Portland, Oregon and founded CymaSpace, a non-profit that makes performing arts more inclusive to the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing by developing technology and artistic works that translate sound into visual mediums. In 2015 Myles further refined these works and founded Audiolux Devices, a technology company producing professional stage and lighting equipment that synergize light and sound.
Myles lives in Portland with his partner Kim and daughter Zebra.
Assistant Director & Dancer
Austin Richey is an actor involved for many years with Deaf filmmaking, including a documentary of his own interesting life.
“At first I wasn’t sure about joining this dance group. I thought, ok… let see how it goes. Now, I’m happy to be part of the HideAway project. It is very challenging to do choreography in a group. I love it. In the future, I want to join other dance projects. Thank you CymaSpace and 2 Deaf Feet Dance Collective for letting me being part of it.”
Austin Richey is a skilled actor, vegan chef, speaker, self-taught dancer and was in a choir when he was younger. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, he moved to Hillsboro, Oregon when he was eight. Austin has lived in Portland for almost 20 years.
Dancer
Kimberly Jack (Ferry) brings her terrific dancing skills to the HideAway project. “I am very excited to be a part of this project, I love dancing!” She said.
Kimberly is a mother of four daughters and one son: Gabby, Cassidy, Megan, Paige, and Nathan. She started a cleaning business, K & G’s Renovation & Cleaning in 2014 with Ginny Burt, her school mate and bestie from Tucker Maxon Oral school. Kimberly is a paddler for Portland’s Rose Parade Dragon Boat Race. Her all-woman Deaf and hearing team, A Shui Life finished in the top percentage every year for five years.
Kimberly grew up oral, without the benefit of sign language. She learned how to speak and lip read through speech therapy. Today Kimberly is eager to learn ASL.
Dancer
Charles is a hearing musician, singer, and songwriter native to Portland. Charles has a love for music, performance art, the Deaf community, the Irish language and culture, and American Sign Language. Charles has been volunteering and co-creating for the past 2 years at CymaSpace and looks forward to a bright future.
Dancer
Mandy is a Jill of All Trades, even her business cards says “LilBitOfEv.”
Her passion is working with people from all walks of life as a doula, officiant, advocate and coach. She is a wife to Andy Hays, a violent crimes detective.
She is a mother to two grown boys. Jimmy is in the Air Force in Alaska. Matt is at home working and is making school plans. In Mandy’s spare time she likes to socialize, and crochet. She loves to exercise and often challenges herself, such as a 39 mile walk for Avon39 and a relay on the same weekend!
Dancer
Breanna has recently moved to Portland. She joined the the Hideaway dance project shortly thereafter. Her goal is to succeed as an artist in this artistic city.
Dancer
As a child Gray took ballet lessons inspired to be an actor and artist on TV, which she is now realized that dream by being in the Hideaway video!
She is an ASL and Deaf Education teacher, artist, animal rights advocate and nature lover who is happy to call Portland home again after living in eight states (VT, MA, PA, IN, WA, OR, FL and MD). She is also involved in the Dragon Boat team, A Shui Life. “I enjoy anything water-related including swimming. I also love reading, writing and school.”
Gray got her doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership. She is glad CymaSpace is here to provide creative, social and vocational opportunities for the Deaf and signing communities in the Portland area.
Dancer
Yvonne Neumann has always loved performing but was scared to do so until she was selected for a role in a production of “The Bad Seed” produced by Northwest Theater for the Deaf (NWTD).
Yvonne was hooked on acting and became involved in the Portland ASL Comedy Troupe. Later she was an actress for Sign Stage On Tour based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Yvonne says: “This is my first time participating with CymaSpace and I look forward to seeing the organization grow.”
Dancer
Michelle Crane is a serial BBQ chips eater. She loves humans and Chai tea lattes. She’s a domestic goddess and hot single mom with three children.
Co-founder of Celestial Moms Doula Services, she is a certified birth doula, certified nursing assistant (CNA) and a dragon boat racer with A Shui Life in Portland, Oregon.
Despite being deaf, Michelle is a passionate dancer who loves to rock to badass music. When she was younger, she took modern jazz dance classes and even tried out for the high school dance team at her local mainstream school . She didn’t make the team and was devastated as she knew she could dance. She thought if she just had the right tools and people to work with, she just might have made it on the team.
Recently, she was thrilled to discover CymaSpace. With accessibility to sound and music through lights and vibrations, and support from other creative Deaf people, Michelle has found her artistic muse. The dream is happening. She lives by her motto, “Be true to yourself”.
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Mark Ruskamp & Portland Community Media
Thanks to Mark Ruskamp and Portland Community Media (PCM), CymaSpace volunteers were able to receive invaluable field production training and utilize high-end video equipment for the production.
Portland Community Media is a nonprofit, public benefit organization dedicated to promoting local, non-commercial media developed and produced in the community, by the community and for the community.