Language
Between
the Beats.
A study of rhythm, timing, and meaning in American Sign Language.
Where language lives not only in the signs, but in what happens between them.
This course is for interpreters, ASL artists, and advanced signers who want to move beyond technique — into musical truth.
- WatchSelf-paced video lessons
- StudyLiving ASL artists
- PracticeGuided exercises & reflection
- ConnectCommunity & discussion
What is
Language Between
the Beats?
A self-paced course in the artistry of American Sign Language — the musicality of it.
Not what a sign means, but how it moves. Where it breathes, when it holds, what the space between signs is carrying.
Whether you are an interpreter working with music, a Deaf artist developing your craft, or a student who wants to sit with ASL beyond translation — this was made with you in mind.
The heart
of the curriculum.
Rhythm & Timing
How rhythm functions in ASL — and why timing is as meaningful as the sign itself. You will learn to feel the beat of a phrase, not just execute it.
Phrasing & Breath
The way breath shapes language in ASL — how to use the body's natural rhythm to give your signing presence, weight, and intention.
Translation as Art
Moving beyond word-for-word translation into genuine interpretation — finding the emotional truth of a lyric and rendering it in visual language.
Presence & Space
The difference between signing at a camera and truly inhabiting a space — how stillness, movement, and eye gaze create meaning before a sign begins. And then what happens in the pauses: the rests, the moments of held breath, the space you leave around a phrase.
Your Own Voice
Developing a signing voice that is distinctly yours. Not imitation — artistic identity. By the end, you will know what you sound like in ASL.
Learn through the work
of living masters.
This course is built around real artists doing real work. We will study their performances closely — watching for rhythm, phrasing, presence, and the choices that make their signing unmistakably theirs. These are not examples. They are teachers.
Justin Jackerson
A master of emotional depth and physical storytelling in ASL — his work reveals how presence and restraint create more meaning than movement alone.
Joey Antonio
Known for his lyrical precision and musicality, Joey's translations illuminate how rhythm and breath shape every phrase in visual language.
AV Vilavong
AV's work pushes the boundaries of what ASL performance can hold — blending cultural identity, artistic vision, and embodied rhythm into something entirely her own.
Brandon Kazen-Maddox
A performer whose signing feels like movement and music at once — we will study how he uses space, timing, and the pause to build tension and release.
Azora Telford
Azora's strength is in embodying sound into visual vernacular — he translates not just the words but the sonic texture itself into something you can see and feel.
Keene Shank
Keene's artistry centers authenticity and creative freedom — his work asks us to consider what it means to truly make a song your own in a visual language.
These artists represent a range of styles, backgrounds, and approaches — because there is no single way to move in this language. The goal is not to sign like them. It is to understand how they move, so you can discover how you move.
Made for people who
want to go deeper.
This is not a beginner ASL course. Some signing experience is expected. If you are new to ASL, reach out before enrolling.
Self-paced.
At your own rhythm.
Studio Session
Not ready for the full course? A Studio Session is a one-time, focused workshop experience — a single deep dive into one aspect of ASL musicality, live with Rosa Lee.
Inquire About a Session →