Landmark gala show for impaired fans

Improvised solutions

"When I first heard about the accessible broadcast, I was not entirely sure what to expect," recalled Tai Lihua, president of the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, and a key figure behind the success of the accessible broadcast.

"Initially, I thought my role was only to help with sign-language translations for a few songs. However, as I got more details, I realized that our task was far more extensive — it was the entire gala's sign-language broadcast."

Tai began to lose her hearing at the age of 2 after being given an overdose of an antibiotic to treat a high fever.

In primary school, her teacher brought a drum to class and started to beat it. Tai was thrilled by the rhythmic vibrations that passed over her body.

She fell in love with dancing and started professional dance training at 15.

Tai rose to fame in 2005 as a lead dancer in The Thousand-handed Goddess of Mercy performance during the CMG Spring Festival Gala.

She said the most difficult part of this year's accessible broadcast was expanding the scope of sign language to include sketch comedies, crosstalk performances, and other verbal segments.

"How could we ensure the sign language was accurate but also artistic, capturing the humor and the fast-paced dialogue? We had to find ways to express these nuances beautifully without losing the original meaning," she said.

"In sign language, there are no direct equivalents for every word, so we had to use natural sign language, adjusting the speed and gestures to match the performers' expressions and emotions," she noted.

For years, the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe has been participating in the annual gala with artists singing or dancing onstage. "This time, we didn't just create art, but created a world where everyone can participate, no matter their physical challenges," said Tai.

For blind and vision-impaired people, the Spring Festival Gala took on a new dimension thanks to audio descriptions.

As the performances unfolded on screen, narrators provided detailed verbal descriptions of everything; from the grandeur of the stage set, to the intricate movements of the dancers.

The narrators not only described the visuals but also captured the nuances of particular scenes — such as the bright, celebratory lighting, or the delicate swishing sound of the performers' costumes as they twirled.

One blind viewer remarked: "For the first time, I could feel the beauty of the costumes and understand the gestures of the performers. It's not just about hearing the music — it's about feeling part of the story. I was finally able to experience the gala as if I were seeing it with my own eyes."

Dong Lina narrated the dance piece Yi Ren, or The Beautiful Lady, performed by Tan Yuanyuan, the former principal ballerina with the San Francisco Ballet and the artistic director of Suzhou Ballet Theatre.

"The combination of auditory and visual elements provided through these descriptions allowed blind viewers to engage with the event in a way that was previously unimaginable, creating a truly inclusive cultural experience," she said.

Dong herself has inspired many others. She is the first vision-impaired person in China to obtain a master's degree in radio and television broadcasting.