SAMANTHA TERZIS CI/CT/ASLTA

Samantha began her love of Sign Language in her youth, and in 1980 she enrolled in her first Sign Language class. Samantha started early on her career pursuits. After Sign Language and Drama classes throughout her High School years, she was blessed to attend Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, and there pursue a degree in Art/Theatre. With an ongoing passion for Signing she simultaneously enrolled in a formal Interpreting degree program from Palomar College in San Marcos, CA. Samantha became a ranked Theatrical Lighting Designer, and that love spurred her integration of Performance and Interpreting. Her first concert interpreting assignment was in 1990 and it only took one concert to be permanently hooked on the integration of Sign and music. Samantha has now been interpreting for 23 years, and working in the Performance Interpreting setting for 22. In the midst of her career, she moved to Nashville to continue her Performance Interpreting pursuits and in 1999, she, along with several local Deaf consumers, began Gate Communications, with the collective goal of advancing Deaf Accessibility, interpreting education, and ministerial outreach. Over her 2 decades of interpreting, Samantha has interpreted concerts from coast to coast, and provided services alongside Presidents, Country/Christian/Pop Artists, and internationally known speakers. She has taught private ASL classes for 20 years and spent 10 years as a collegiate instructor in an ITP/IPP. Samantha has a deep love for foreign Sign Languages. She has experience Signing in 5 foreign Sign Languages and interpreting in 2. She regularly interacts with foreign Deaf consumers living and traveling within the U.S. and outside our borders. Samantha is the primary ASL/Interpreting instructor in Gate's ITP and guides Gate's education department as she travels the country presenting at workshops. Her primary position is to serve as the Executive Director of Gate Communications, located in the Nashville area... Music City U.S.A.

A MESSAGE FROM SAMANTHA

WORKSHOP PHILOSOPHY

So is this workshop right for you? We don't want you to be tortured, and we definitely don't want you to torture us [smile - a little Deaf honesty for you] so how do you know if this workshop is right for you? If you like an active workshop, then YES this workshop is for you. If you like a workshop that will make you laugh, then YES this workshop is for you. If you like a workshop that will give you actual feedback on your skills [in a loving and safe manner], then YES this workshop is for you. If you like a workshop that believes that interpreters SHOULD use facial expression, body language/movement when signing in concert & musical theatre settings then YES this workshop is for you.

NO SUFFERING ALLOWED: So, who is pained by attending? Interpreters who want to sit and sit and sit... they could end up distraught. Interpreters who want to be serious 100% of the time... it's not going to happen - attending would be a bad call. Interpreters who are very "set in their ways" and definitely don't feel comfortable with feedback which might encourage an alteration to their present interpreting style, they are tortured... big time. AND interpreters who believe strongly that when interpreting music &/or musical theatre interpreters should use minimal facial expression, minimal body language, and minimal movement - in essence the interpreter's should "caption" a musical performance... those interpreters may have to be admitted to the ER before the end of this workshop, at the very least, be placed on a continuous inflow of oxygen for the duration.

This workshop targets "affect" challenging interpreters to access the visual nature of Sign Language and acknowledge the Deaf Consumer's dependency on visual information, then develops skills which will provide them with a visually stimulating interpretation matching the "content & SPIRIT of what is being communicated" [CPC: 2.3]. This workshop encourages interpreters to create an interpretation for the Deaf which is as impacting to them, as the original song or performance was & is to the Hearing. This workshop was built to give us honest assessments from real live Deaf consumers about what they want from their interpreters then teach interpreters to provide what we have found consumers are overwhelmingly seeking. In most workshops local consumers are standing right there ready to provide that honest [and don't worry - gentle] feedback.

If this sounds like you, a workshop you would love, then QUICK, sign up! This workshop will use everything in the arsenol to prepare interpreters to have incredible success in the field of Performance Interpreting.

A CHALLENGE TO INTERPRETERS WITH EXTENDED CAREERS

Ok fellow terps... let's talk turkey (Does anyone know the etymology of that idiom? Hmm.. I digress...) Deep down inside of us we truly want to better ourselves I believe. To you pros, let me talk straight... This workshop can truly impact your interpreting career. It can! It will take one thing, TEACHABILITY. It takes interpreters, whether experienced or not, with passion to learn, and a willingness to get uncomfortable, and laugh at themselves. It takes interpreters with meekness to say, "there is still more I don't know, and I am ready to learn it." For this workshop to be a success for you, you have to be the type of interpreter who doesn't show up with that "...but this is how I do it!" banner taped to his/her forehead, but instead one that says, "how can I do it better?" Teachability is key! The Deaf throw Gate more nods, high fives, thumbs up and the yank the arm back "yes!'s" than you can imagine. I always ask the Hearing workshop attendees, "what do you think Deaf people expect from their Performance Interpreters." I of course get typical although generic responses. In a Western city, home to some of the best interpreters in the country no doubt, the Deaf Actor sponsoring that particular BSL workshop was asked, what do YOU expect. Do you know his response? I will tell you, it flat out changed me forever. He looked at this group of predominantly professional interpreters and said, "I don't have any expectations. I can't, because if I do go to a concert with ANY expectations, I WILL be disappointed. If I at least go with NO expectations, there is a chance I will have a good time." That statement broke my heart, and probably changed me forever as an interpreter. I have taught workshops and performance interpreting classes coast to coast, and I have seen every type of attendee. The people we want to encourage to attend are the people who are not "OK with" what he said, and want to be the best they can be so no Deaf consumer ever has to say those words again. If that is you... please join us! This workshop will bless you greatly!