Deaf Tango Dancers?
I know I can't be the only one!
I am late deafened and in my early 40s. I started dancing Tango about 20 years ago, just when my hearing started to deteriorate. Now, as a profoundly deaf dancer, I have found more challenges, but more love for the dance. I've also been wildly blessed by the automatic and open-armed acceptance of my deafness by those in my Tango community and how willing, and even proactive, they have been in accommodating my needs (i don'tthink they realize how very rare that is). I am also the only deaf dancer I am aware of in my area, and have met only 2 others who wear hearing aids (they need no other accommodations/considerations to hear the music or converse, mostly comfortably, at milongas) in the 20 years I've been dancing and the traveling I've done to do so.
My question is, my fellow deaf dancers, what accommodations do you ask for/need/use in order to dance your best during classes and milongas. I have new Bluetooth hearing aids that have been astounding in their ability to give me back sound/music in a way that I have not been able to access in 10 years, if not more. But, as should be expected, I still struggle. I also use automatic transcription on my phone, make sure that new partners know of my deafness (especially if I'm leading), and I'm sure I do other things that have become automatic throughout the years. I'd love to hear your experiences and suggestions. Thanks!