KENT BLECHYNDEN/Fairfax NZ

SIGNING ON: 'My performances open up a new avenue to show the creative side of sign language,' says burlesque dancer Jepha Krieg.

Her undergarments are bejewelled, her routines are cheeky, but it is what Jepha Krieg does with her hands that sets her aside from other burlesque dancers.

Sign language is a pivotal communication tool for the hearing-impaired and for the 22-year-old Wellingtonian who incorporates it into burlesque, the language is another way to express her creativity.

By taking sign language a step further, she is not only making her mark in the Wellington burlesque community, but she also believes she is the country's first signing burlesque artist.

"Sign language is so expressive and is perfect for performance," says Krieg, whose first show involved signing to Katy Perry's song Peacock, and Born to Handjive by Johnny Otis.

"That was perfect, as deaf people are born to handjive," she says.

Signing is an official New Zealand language and, for Krieg, it is more than just a communication tool.

"My performances open up a new avenue to show the creative side of sign language. It's not just a novelty, or a way for handicapped people to talk."

Through her performances, Krieg hopes to make both the comedy of burlesque and the songs she uses more accessible to the deaf, and to expose sign language to people who would not otherwise experience it.

Link:
Adding a personal touch to burlesque