Award-winning performance collective Speaking Vibrations will be performing at the ODD Box from Oct. 2-4.
Created in 2019, Speaking Vibrations blends the world of performance with accessible and inclusive shows across language and style, live, digitally and on tour in Ottawa and across Canada. Themes like identity, Deaf and disability justice, and inter-culturalism feature heavily in their performances and as a mission statement, as the artists’ real life identities meld together on stage. Apt613 got to speak to two members of the collective — Jo-Anne Bryan, an artist, performer and fashion stylist, and Carmelle Cachero, a tap dancer, musician and artist — about Speaking Vibrations, and the power of accessibility through storytelling.
Image Description: Jo-Anne, a Black Bajan woman with a short fro, wearing a bright green shirt and pants, is standing on stage with her arms open. Behind her, white font on a black background reads “now one world, a story to be told.” Photo by Lindsey Tran.
Apt613: What can audiences expect from this event?
Jo-Anne Bryan and Carmelle Cachero: The performance is multi-disciplinary, inviting each audience member to engage in their own way. It weaves together song, spoken word, dance, captions, vibrating cushions, and audio description. The stories are expressed through multiple modes, giving the audience freedom to interpret them personally. As a “First Generation” family living in Kanata, we are exploring our identities, values, and cultures through the sharing of our stories. Jo-Anne’s story reflects the experience of growing up between two worlds—the Family and the Deaf communities.
Apt613: Could you talk a little bit about where this idea came from and what inspired this event?
Bryan and Cachero: The idea really came from our original plan to be part of a larger festival, where we were starting to explore new stories. When those plans changed, we decided to partner with ODD and move forward with our own show here in our hometown. It’s been three years since we last performed at GCTC, so it feels really special to be back in Ottawa and share this performance with the community.
Image Description: Carmelle, Filipina woman with long black hair, wearing black shirt, red pants and a sash, and King, a Vietnamese woman with black hair tied in a high bun, wearing a dark blue robe are performing a song and dance on stage. Behind them, blue karaoke font against a blurred pink cherry blossom tree background reads “whether or not you know.” Photo by Lindsey Tran.
Apt613: Speaking Vibrations boasts a whole bunch of different styles of dance melded with different forms of technology — could you talk a bit about the connections between dance and technology and how this works all together for the event?
Bryan and Cachero: For us, accessibility isn’t something that sits on the side — it’s at the heart of how we create. We don’t think of it as “adding access,” but rather as weaving it into the fabric of the performance. Dance and technology give us the tools to do this in ways that are both imaginative and engaging. Through creative captions, audio description, and vibration devices, the experience opens up in multiple layers. Each audience member can connect with the performance fully, and in their own way — which is really what makes it feel alive and whole.
Image Description: Jordan, a white woman with long brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a white, Grecian-style dress, and King, a Vietnamese woman with black hair tied in a high bun, wearing a dark blue robe are on stage in a song and dance. Jordan is in the foreground, mid-walk with her right hand gesturing forwards in the “see” handshape. King is in the background, kneeled, hands in the shape of a book. Behind them, white text on a black background reads “go back and get it, home, away, never too late, soul is only whole, grown far away, disconnected, go back and visit, become distant.” Photo by Lindsey Tran.
Apt613: Speaking Vibrations has been around since 2019 — how have these past few years shaped your art and performance, and what has the experience been like sharing this with audiences in Ottawa?
Bryan and Cachero: Since 2019, our work has grown from experimenting with vibration devices and balloons into creating fully accessible, multi-sensory performances. Our goal is to challenge how people think about working with artists from diverse backgrounds, including Deaf and Deafblind artists. We believe accessibility isn’t an add-on — it’s an essential part of the creative process from the very beginning. By weaving accessibility into every element, we hope to create performances that inspire, connect, and leave each audience member with their own meaningful experience.
Make sure to check out Speaking Vibrations at ODD Box in Arts Court on Oct. 2, 3, and 4 at 7:30pm. For more information about Speaking Vibrations, check out their website, or follow them on Facebook or Instagram. Tickets can be purchased online.
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