How Dancer Kassandra Wedel Is Raising Awareness for World Hearing Day

Ludwig van Beethoven was an exceptional musician who, like few composers before and after him, explored the limits of his art and repeatedly exceeded them. For a long time posterity perceived him not only as an incomparable genius, but also as a headstrong eccentric who ignored social conventions and resolutely pursued his artistic path.

Beethoven's apparent eccentricity however was caused by the real tragedy of his life: already from the age of 28, Beethoven showed symptoms of a hearing loss that has not yet been conclusively clarified and which, over the years, led to complete deafness. This was accompanied not only by the threat to his source of income, but also by his increasing withdrawal from his fellow human beings:

"... for nearly two years past I have avoided all society, because I find it impossible to say to people, I am deaf! In any other profession this might be more tolerable, but in mine such a condition is truly frightful..."

For Kassandra Wedel, it is above all the humanity and emotional richness in Beethoven's music that makes it relevant to this day. Scientists are increasingly asking themselves the question whether his music, despite or perhaps because of his illness, has such a groundbreakingly modern appeal - and Kassandra Wedel also talks about "deaf gain", the consideration of deafness not as a loss but as a gain, since it allows things to be perceived that remain hidden to the hearing.

The world champion in hip hop dance translates Beethoven's music into her own language, based primarily on the vibrations of the music. To do this, she takes the basic pulse and lets the rhythm pass over to her body - which also allows the hearing audience to experience the piece in a whole new dimension.

With her versatile work, Kassandra Wedel conquers ever new "deaf spaces": as an actress from Münchner Kammerspiele to "Tatort", as a freelance dancer in opera productions, as a choreographer for hearing and deaf dancers, as a student of theatre studies and art education - in keeping with Beethoven's spirit, she does not allow herself to be restricted, but pursues her path undeterred.

Nevertheless, even for pioneers like Kassandra Wedel, it is still a rocky road to acceptance and equality with the hearing: In Germany, sign language has only been recognised as an official language since 2002; hearing loss is still often considered a stigma, although around 30% of all adult Germans suffer from hearing impairment.

In order to focus more on the "sense of hearing" and hearing health, the World Health Organisation has declared 3 March as the official International Hearing Day, this year under the motto "Hearing for Life. Don't let hearing loss limit you."

The aim is to raise awareness for the topic, to encourage better health care as well as those affected - in keeping with the spirit of Beethoven. "Play on, play, against all odds!"