Clubbing brings deaf and hearing people closer

Crowds bopped to bass-heavy electronic music at a weekend party in Shanghai that brought together deaf and hearing clubbers, with staff taking food and drink orders through sign language.

It was the second "BassBath" club night organised by a culture-bridging group working in the Chinese metropolis.

"This event is intended to break down the barrier between deaf and hearing people through play and body language," said Alice Hu, a BassBath co-organiser who is deaf.

BassBath "allows deaf people to understand hearing people's culture, and also allows hearing people to understand deaf people's culture, leading to mutual integration", Hu said.

Deaf communities around the world have increasingly built such spaces for nightlife and other cultural events. However, nightlife and entertainment events for deaf partygoers are still rare in China.

Animated art and music videos featuring sign language artists such as Finland's Signmark were projected onto graffiti-strewn walls at Saturday's party.