Rebecca A Withey: Why was Rose and Giovanni’s silent sequence so powerful?

On Saturday night the nation gasped as Rose and Giovanni’s Couple’s Choice routine on Strictly Come Dancing took us all by surprise.

The dance, to Clean Bandit’s Symphony, was a contemporary lyrical piece which depicted Rose’s lifelong experience as a deaf person.

The routine, which was fluid and cheerful, was created by Giovanni to be a positive portrayal of what it is like to be deaf.

The highlight of the dance was when a mid section cut to complete silence, with Rose cupping Giovanni’s ears under a spotlight to signal that he had now joined her ‘deaf world.’

They danced a short segment in unison without sound, an act that was both poignant and joyous.

This silent section was incredibly powerful with viewers nationwide taking to social media to describe how it had moved them to tears. I was one of them

Yet, what was it that made the silent sequence so impactful? Why was it such a pivotal moment for the deaf community?

I’ve summed up my response to this below;

1. Firstly, it gave the hearing audience experiential insight as to what it’s like to be deaf.Sure, not all of us live in complete silence but it was an accurate portrayal of what dance would be like for a profoundly deaf person who has no hearing aid or implant. It allowed hearing people to step into Rose’s world and experience movement without sound. This representation feels so important to a community that often feels ignored.Also, throughout the show we always see Giovanni and Rose dance together but it’s easy to forget that they’re both having two entirely different experiences.

   The silent section allowed us to see both sides and for hearing viewers to be part of a deaf persons world. Such an experience creates empathy, and this understanding is really necessary for deaf awareness.

   I am always thankful when I see deafness being given a platform and portrayed well in mainstream media and I know am not alone in feeling this way.

2. Even when dancing in silence, Rose smiled throughout. This was no sob story.Rose actually thanked Giovanni after their performance for giving her the chance to show deafness in a positive light.She said that ‘being deaf is such a joy ’ – a statement that caused the deaf community to cheer in agreement. We don’t want pity or sympathy, just to be understood. Rose communicated this so well.

   The fact that Rose and Giovanni danced joyfully and with such love throughout the whole routine – when there was sound and when it was silent – just normalises individual experiences and celebrates what life is like for so many deaf people.

   Rose danced in silence, yet she smiled gracefully throughout. Surely others can now see that deafness can be a beautiful experience.

   

3. It was a powerful message of balance and two worlds unifying.How freeing must it have felt for Rose to dance without the pressure of following the music!By dancing without sound, Giovanni is choosing to join Rose’s world. By allowing Rose to be as she is, Giovanni is embracing deafness and this sends out such an important message as he is meeting her in the middle and adapting to how she lives her life.

   Why should deaf people always have to be the ones to work hard to fit in and adapt? Giovanni challenges this concept by firstly learning and using BSL in a performance and now by dancing in silence.

   Giovanni is giving deafness – and notably deaf awareness – the platform it has always needed. Seeing Giovanni, a hearing person, embrace this is very encouraging and something we hope lots of people will be influenced by.

   The couple danced Giovanni’s way – with music – and then they danced Rose’s way -without. What a beautiful demonstration of equality and acceptance.

4. It challenged how dance is usually performed.Silence in a dance routine – whaaat?! When I was at University, my dance lecturers could not get their head around how I had such good rhythm. I even performed a section of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in silence for a solo assessment (I didn’t want to rely on hearing the music) and my fellow dance students couldn’t believe what I was doing.There’s a notion that a dance isn’t a dance until it’s performed with music but luckily the contemporary movement is challenging that idea. I even wrote a dissertation on my theory of ‘Inner Rhythm’ and described how it’s possible to be rhythmical without exposure to sound.

   Rose and Giovanni’s dance proved this theory correct. They also demonstrated that it is possible to dance in sync with another person without audible cues so long as you tune into the rhythm within.

   Dance teachers worldwide – I hope you’re taking note! I hope this encourages contemporary dancers and choreographers to explore silence within dance and to free deaf dancers up from the pressure of working only with sound.

5. It showed just how hard Rose is working in this competition.
   
   For a lot of deaf people with successful careers, they are often like ducks in a pond. You see them smile and succeed, but what you don’t see is all the adaptations, the focus and hard work going on below the surface.On Saturday we saw Rose transition from dancing to music, moving into silence, and then back again to music. She did so smoothly without hesitation. This was not an easy task.Without tuning into her inner rhythm and committing to constant rehearsals and repetitions, it would have been very easy to drop out of rhythm a couple of times. Hearing celebs often do!

   Rose’s intent focus enabled her to stay in sync with Giovanni throughout – a skill that is most definitely underestimated. This showed us all how hard working as well as talented Rose really is.

   

And so the silent section in Rose and Giovanni’s dance is one that will stay in my heart for a very long time. As judge Motsi said, it wasn’t so much about the dancing or the technique, but the message that the dance delivered.

It really was a moment. A moment, not just for Rose and Giovanni but for the entire deaf community watching proudly. Thank you, Rose and Giovanni, for continuing to give the deaf community a voice.

We feel heard.

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Rebecca Anne Withey is a freelance writer, performing artist and consultant. She is also profoundly deaf, a sign language user and pretty great lipreader. She writes on varied topics close to her heart in the hope that they may serve to inspire others.

Photo credit Guy Levy/BBC/PA.