Disney Animation Has Re-Animated Three Hit Songs In Sign Language

Disney+ will premiere Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language on April 27, offering newly animated American Sign Language (ASL) versions of three musical numbers from recent Walt Disney Animation Studios films. The release coincides with National Deaf History Month and features reimagined sequences for “The Next Right Thing” (Frozen 2), “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (Encanto), and “Beyond” (Moana 2).

The project is directed by longtime Disney animator and director Hyrum Osmond, who collaborated with Los Angeles-based Deaf West Theatre to bring the songs to life in ASL. Producers Heather Blodget and Christina Chen worked alongside Deaf West Theatre artistic director DJ Kurs and a team of performers to develop choreography that translates the songs’ meaning and emotion into sign language. Rather than relying on direct word-for-word translation, the team focused on conceptual storytelling through movement and expression.

More than 20 animators worked on the sequences, using custom sign-language reference performances created specifically for the project. According to Osmond, most of the animation was newly produced to accurately capture the rhythm and intent of ASL within the musical numbers.

Osmond, whose father is Deaf, said the project was driven by both artistic and personal motivations:

One, sign language is one of the most beautiful ways of communication on Earth. If ever there was a medium to showcase sign language, it was animation. The other big reason for doing this project is to connect with the Deaf community. Growing up, I never learned sign language, and that barrier prevented me from really connecting with my dad. This reimagining of Disney Animation musical numbers helps bring down barriers and allows us to connect in a special way with our audiences in the Deaf community. I’m grateful that the Studio got behind making something so impactful.

Kurs called the collaboration a natural fit.

When Hyrum approached me with a potential collaboration involving the integration of ASL into the fabric of Disney storytelling, it was an immediate ‘yes’ for us. Disney stories are the universal language of childhood. The chance to bring our language into that world was a historic opportunity to reach a global audience. Working on this project was very emotional. For so long, we have known and loved the artistic medium of Disney Animation. Here, the art form was adapting to us. I hope this unlocks possibilities in the minds and hearts of Deaf children, and that this all leads to more down the road.

A behind-the-scenes featurette documenting the collaboration between Disney Animation and Deaf West Theatre will accompany the release.