Latest news with #disability
Washington Post
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Big Ocean breaks new ground as K-pop's first deaf group
SEOUL, South Korea — Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group composed entirely of artists with hearing disabilities, is redefining the limits of music and performance — one beat at a time. When Big Ocean takes the stage, they seamlessly incorporate sign language into their performances. But their polished shows are built on extensive preparation using high-tech tools born from necessity — vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during practice sessions. This technological approach represents significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Big Ocean breaks new ground as K-pop's first deaf group
Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group composed entirely of artists with hearing disabilities, is redefining the limits of music and performance — one beat at a time. When Big Ocean takes the stage, they seamlessly incorporate sign language into their performances. But their polished shows are built on extensive preparation using high-tech tools born from necessity — vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during practice sessions. This technological approach represents significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited. The trio, PJ, Jiseok and Chanyeon, made their debut in April 2024 and recently wrapped a solo European tour marking their first anniversary. The band performed in four countries, including France and the U.K., while promoting their second mini-album, 'Underwater,' which dropped on April 20. PJ rose to prominence as a YouTuber who educated viewers about hearing disabilities. Chanyeon previously worked as an audiologist. Jiseok was a professional ski racer. To achieve the precision crucial in K-pop's demanding choreography and music, Big Ocean relies on technologies rarely seen in the genre. Members wear modified vibrating smartwatches that deliver rhythmic cues to their wrists and practice with visual metronomes — flashing light guides displayed on monitors — to help stay in sync when audio alone isn't enough. Chanyeon uses a hybrid hearing device with Bluetooth that streams music directly from mobile devices. The group also uses a pitch-checking app and AI voice conversion technology to support vocal training and enhance audio output after recordings. Dancing to visual cues 'We each felt rhythm differently when dancing,' PJ told The Associated Press. 'So when we'd play the same song and dance in front of the mirror, one of us would move faster while another would move slower. To solve this timing issue, we decided to memorize everything together and create our own cues with each other.' This precision becomes critical during live performances, where unexpected disruptions can derail even experienced performers. 'When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat,' said Jiseok. 'But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation — just like we practiced.' Stage effects and certain musical styles create additional obstacles. 'When a lot of smoke comes up, sometimes we momentarily can't see the stage movements in front of us,' PJ said. 'Our concentration gets disrupted instantly in those moments.' 'When there's no clear beat in a song, it's really hard for us to stay synchronized,' Jiseok said. 'When the bass is overwhelming, it's difficult for us to catch it accurately.' Promoting accessibility Despite these challenges, Big Ocean's commitment to accessibility and inclusion has inspired their global fanbase. Big Ocean's global fanbase — known as PADO — has responded with similar commitment. 'While communicating with PADO, we've heard that they're actually learning Korean sign language for us, or learning various sign languages to communicate with us,' Jiseok said. 'When we see how much they're preparing and putting in that effort, we feel so grateful.' The group uses English for basic communication with international fans and incorporates Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and International Sign to promote accessibility and inclusion. Jiseok credits BTS's RM with inspiring his musical journey. He said RM's donation to his former school — a private institution for deaf and hard of hearing students — gave him access to music and dance for the first time. 'Without those learning opportunities, I probably never would have dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol,' he said. Fostering collaboration Looking ahead, Big Ocean hopes to build on its growing global profile. 'We recently saw Justin Bieber's Instagram post asking for music collaborators, so we sent him a DM,' PJ said. 'All of us would love the opportunity to work with him. And personally, I'd also love to work with Billie Eilish.' As the band reflects on its first year, Chanyeon said their biggest growth has been internal. 'I've always liked playing it safe — even with food, I only ate what I was used to,' he said. 'But through Big Ocean, I've gained confidence in trying new things. That's what I'm most satisfied with.'
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Big Ocean breaks new ground as K-pop's first deaf group
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group composed entirely of artists with hearing disabilities, is redefining the limits of music and performance — one beat at a time. When Big Ocean takes the stage, they seamlessly incorporate sign language into their performances. But their polished shows are built on extensive preparation using high-tech tools born from necessity — vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during practice sessions. This technological approach represents significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited. The trio, PJ, Jiseok and Chanyeon, made their debut in April 2024 and recently wrapped a solo European tour marking their first anniversary. The band performed in four countries, including France and the U.K., while promoting their second mini-album, 'Underwater,' which dropped on April 20. PJ rose to prominence as a YouTuber who educated viewers about hearing disabilities. Chanyeon previously worked as an audiologist. Jiseok was a professional ski racer. To achieve the precision crucial in K-pop's demanding choreography and music, Big Ocean relies on technologies rarely seen in the genre. Members wear modified vibrating smartwatches that deliver rhythmic cues to their wrists and practice with visual metronomes — flashing light guides displayed on monitors — to help stay in sync when audio alone isn't enough. Chanyeon uses a hybrid hearing device with Bluetooth that streams music directly from mobile devices. The group also uses a pitch-checking app and AI voice conversion technology to support vocal training and enhance audio output after recordings. Dancing to visual cues 'We each felt rhythm differently when dancing,' PJ told The Associated Press. 'So when we'd play the same song and dance in front of the mirror, one of us would move faster while another would move slower. To solve this timing issue, we decided to memorize everything together and create our own cues with each other.' This precision becomes critical during live performances, where unexpected disruptions can derail even experienced performers. 'When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat,' said Jiseok. 'But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation — just like we practiced.' Stage effects and certain musical styles create additional obstacles. 'When a lot of smoke comes up, sometimes we momentarily can't see the stage movements in front of us,' PJ said. 'Our concentration gets disrupted instantly in those moments.' 'When there's no clear beat in a song, it's really hard for us to stay synchronized,' Jiseok said. 'When the bass is overwhelming, it's difficult for us to catch it accurately.' Promoting accessibility Despite these challenges, Big Ocean's commitment to accessibility and inclusion has inspired their global fanbase. Big Ocean's global fanbase — known as PADO — has responded with similar commitment. 'While communicating with PADO, we've heard that they're actually learning Korean sign language for us, or learning various sign languages to communicate with us,' Jiseok said. 'When we see how much they're preparing and putting in that effort, we feel so grateful.' The group uses English for basic communication with international fans and incorporates Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and International Sign to promote accessibility and inclusion. Jiseok credits BTS's RM with inspiring his musical journey. He said RM's donation to his former school — a private institution for deaf and hard of hearing students — gave him access to music and dance for the first time. 'Without those learning opportunities, I probably never would have dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol,' he said. Fostering collaboration Looking ahead, Big Ocean hopes to build on its growing global profile. 'We recently saw Justin Bieber's Instagram post asking for music collaborators, so we sent him a DM,' PJ said. 'All of us would love the opportunity to work with him. And personally, I'd also love to work with Billie Eilish.' As the band reflects on its first year, Chanyeon said their biggest growth has been internal. 'I've always liked playing it safe — even with food, I only ate what I was used to,' he said. 'But through Big Ocean, I've gained confidence in trying new things. That's what I'm most satisfied with.'
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Grande Prairie disability advocates frustrated with province
Keith Moore, Inclusion Grande Prairie president, stops for a photo next to the empty reserved chairs for local MLAs during the disability town hall at the Pomeroy Hotel in Grande Prairie, Alta. on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Jesse Boily) Inclusion Grande Prairie held a town hall on Saturday to hear concerns regarding changes to the province's funding for people with disabilities. The two chairs reserved for local MLAs remained empty. 'It's so important to have a loud voice when speaking with this government because they have a tendency to ignore most of us,' said Keith Moore, Inclusion Grande Prairie president. Underfunding for disability programs, access to funds, upcoming AISH changes with the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program, and the province 'clawing back' the federal Canada Disability Benefit from individuals were among issues raised at the public event. The province is introducing the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) expected to begin in July next year, but locals say there is not enough information for those who will be able to use it. 'We don't know what that new support level would be because there's just no information, and we have asked repeatedly,' said Moore. 'The trends with this government seem to be, let's just cut and cut and cut, people who are more vulnerable in our society are the ones that are targeted.' The province says ADAP will allow people with disabilities to pursue jobs while receiving the financial, medical, and personal support they need. It says ADAP will work alongside the current Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program. 'ADAP is going to be a lower monthly support but allow people to earn more income without it being deducted off their support,' said Moore. Currently, those on AISH have deductions from their monthly living allowance if they have income. Moore said currently AISH clients receive about $1,900 per month for food, rent and utilities. He noted the poverty line is about $2,400 a month in Edmonton. The Canada Disability Benefit (CBD) which could provide up to $200 a month was expected to help those with disabilities have more access to funds, but in Alberta CBD may add more barriers. Inclusion Alberta said in a media release that the province is requiring people on AISH to apply for the CBD but will then reduce their AISH payment by the received CBD amount. It says no other province is doing this. 'The CDB is meant to be a top-up, not a replacement for provincial disability income support,' said Trish Bowman, Inclusion Alberta CEO. 'Taking away a benefit that was intended to help reduce poverty for adults with disabilities is beyond comprehension.' About 77,000 Albertans are accessing AISH. The CBD has a $250 application fee, and approved clients need to qualify for the Disability Tax Credit that requires a medical assessment that may also come with a cost. 'It doesn't make sense,' shouted a person from the crowd at the town hall. Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) and Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) funding is also underfunded, says Moore. He cited the latest publicly available annual report from the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities (2022-23). 'The budget for 2025 did add some money in, but it didn't even keep up with inflation or the population growth,' he said. 'Every year, we're falling further and further behind, and that is basically what the advocates report for 2022 says — insufficient funds.' People at the town hall voiced their frustrations with a system some called 'dehumanizing.' Moore says he sent invites to Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck and Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Ron Wiebe. 'We're going to present everything that was brought forward by families,' said Moore, 'we're going to get folks to write out their stories and everything and will go to the MLAs and again, requesting them specifically to respond to us.' 'We expect them to do their job as allies represent us; they were not elected to represent Premier Smith or the caucus,' said Moore. Moore says contact with the local MLAs has been difficult. 'They're not very accommodating for people who want to meet with them,' he said, noting the MLA offices indicated that they limit meetings to a maximum of 30 minutes, won't meet after 7 p.m. and won't meet with more than six people at a time. Giving each person five minutes isn't long enough to illustrate how funding is affecting a person, he said. Moore, who served on the board of the Inclusion Alberta until last month, said there was no consultation done regarding AISH or the upcoming changes with ADAP. He said he wanted to see Inclusion Alberta included in the changes to legislation, noting the organization represents families across Alberta and that Inclusion Grande Prairie represents many people in northwestern Alberta from Edson to LaCrete. He said it's not uncommon for the province to include stakeholders before making changes to legislation noting oil and gas companies were included in legislative changes to abandoned wellsites. Family Resource Centre closure In March, the Family Resource Centre in Grande Prairie was closed after provincial funding cuts. 'When we lost the Family Resource Centre, one of the responses from the province was, we do not fund advocacy we fund supports,' said Moore. 'We helped over 200 families, during the time it was operational, find a way around the community, connect them with supporting organizations within the community, help guide them through inclusive education.' He said that parents don't know how to navigate the system. The centre helped them navigate funding, ensuring their children received proper education and aid and parents got the education they needed. 'The interesting thing is that the (Persons with Developmental Disabilities) PDD office in Grande Prairie often referred people to us,' he said, 'that's basically because the PDD office is understaffed; they're maybe 50 per cent of what they were five years ago, in numbers.' Funding to the Family Resource Centre was cut from about $120,000 a year to $64,000, said Moore. He said the province has also stipulated the centre would need to provide courses that follow 'provincial scripts' every month, that would include provincial audits for compliance. Moore said after some conversations, the province indicated it is still funding the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities. The website stated that the office would visit communities and talk to organizations. 'I invited them to come out to Grande Prairie to talk with (Inclusion Grande Prairie), also the Autism Society - because they're in the same boat we are - and two weeks later, I got a phone call and the lady said they were unable to come out because they didn't know what their budget was and couldn't travel.' Moore then asked if they could accommodate a Zoom meeting and was told it would need to be before 7 p.m. Town & Country News reached out to the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services but did not receive a response before press time. By Jesse Boily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
York Inspirational Kids charity facing uncertain future due to funding cuts
For Leah Kilvington, her weekly session with York Inspirational Kids' post-16 group is about more than the activities she and her friends take part in."It's about accepting people for who they are," the 25-year-old tells Phillips says attending the sessions puts a smile on her face."I like coming here because they do fun activities and they make you laugh every time," the 19-year-old explains with a broad bosses at the support group for young people with disabilities or additional needs strike a different tone, warning that the charity could cut sessions or activities unless it can attract greater Executive Ruth Thompson says York Inspirational Kids needs to raise an extra £25,000 to keep services going for the 3,000 families it not, it could face a bleak future after 14 years of existence."We're in a situation where there are more and more diagnoses, particularly of autism, so the need is greater," she explains. "We are in a situation where finances have been cut, there isn't enough money going into local authorities to help support, there isn't enough money within charities, so the criteria for funding is getting tighter and tighter and tighter."The charity supports a wide range of young people, from children to young adults, all of whom have a disability and/or special educational post-16 group is focused on developing social skills and independence in a safe environment, with staff on hand to young people play cards, table football and air hockey - and handle the running of their own tuck shop.A recent trip to the Houses of Parliament to see democracy in action was one of the supervised excursions provided by the charity, along with trips to the cinema and tenpin bowling."Instead of roaming down the streets and getting into trouble, I can come here and enjoy myself," says Kai Embleton, 20. "It's the social high point of her week," says Sarah Smith of her daughter Eleanor, 23. "I don't know what we would do without it. It's not just for the kids, it's for the mums and dads as well, so we can meet up and discuss what's going on in their lives."Tanya Berasnevich says the experiences her daughter Masha takes part in help boost her confidence and social skills."It's the highlight of her week, she really loves it. She feels safe and relaxed. "She was very shy but then she started coming out of her shell and joining activities and now she talks a lot at home after the session."The charity receives some funding from the City of York Council and some from the National Lottery, but has to raise the rest itself. "All the funding we try to go for, there's a lot of competition," says Ms Thompson."We are out and about all the time, bucket collecting in supermarkets, we do coffee mornings and all kinds of fundraising, as much as we can, but we're only a really small organisation."Our young people speak for themselves, they get so much out of it and it would be absolutely awful to have to start making cuts."City of York Council's Maxine Squire says reduced public sector budgets and the increasing costs of support services were increasing pressure on the voluntary sector across the told the BBC that the council continues to support York Inspirational Kids "both financially and in developing a sustainable operating model for the future."The Treasury has been approached for comment. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
