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Application

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

 

We are looking for students and professionals who are excited about musical interpreting, willing to take risks, ready for change, individuals with a positive attitude, and individuals who are teachable. We are not looking for perfect interpreters, we are looking for real people, with real successes, real failures, and a real determination to become the greatest interpreters they can be.


WHO SHOULD NOT APPLY?

 

Yeah, it's a bold statement... but in a moment of total honesty, this is our request. Who should not apply:
 

  • Complainers: This event is incredibly educational, it's incredible fun, and it's incredibly inspiring, however it is also incredibly exhausting. If you are someone who likes to complain, this event will bring out that temptation when you are exhausted. That tendency will make your experience, and the experience of those around you, less positive. 
     

  • Critical Individuals: We want to create a positive, loving, and safe environment. We work very hard to protect the event, and the hearts and minds of people in attendance. This combats most interpreter's common fear of vulnerability in front of their interpreter peers. Because safety is our first concern, we look for individuals who are team players, supportive, and positive, as well as individuals who will not be critical about themselves, others, the speakers, the instructors, or aspects of the event. This allows everyone to excel in a place which is full of life and joy, and it makes it a perfect environment for every interpreter to flourish. That's the goal! We want to see every interpreter who attends, leave having seen their skills flourish.
     

  • The Blameless: If it's always someone else's fault, if responsibility for errors or mistakes is not your strong suit, this isn't the workshop for you. We want people who can say, "I am sorry" rather than "I didn't do that", people who say, "I forgot to do that" rather than "you never told me to do that". We want applicants who have the maturity to be honest with themselves and with us, people who own up to their mistakes. We want people applying who can say, "I am not perfect, I made a mistake, but I will try harder next time" and people who get excited at the idea of growing and changing. This is a workshop full of imperfect people, and we only want imperfect people applying. If you can do no wrong, if you never make mistakes, if you have no need to grow and change, if everything is everyone else's fault, this is not the workshop for you. The ability to admit our failures is a critical trait for a great Performance Interpreter, so those are the people we seek. 
     

  • Feedback Haters: This workshop is all about feedback. You don't pay us to tell you that you are perfect, you pay us to make you better. If you don't want feedback, this is NOT the workshop for you! We feel strongly that none of us, NONE OF US is perfect, and WE ALL need to change, and with that in mind, we will give you an onslaught of ideas to make you better. For some, the thought of that is exciting! For others, it is not comfortable, but a passion for growth overcomes the fear of feedback. We can work with that. However, we do occasionally run across those interpreters who either have egos which project "I don't need to change" or insecurity issues which keep all feedback at arms length, and that wreaks havoc on their interaction with the instructors and other class members. Whether you are a student, or you have been an interpreter for 35 years, we will encourage you to change. If feedback is a problem, this workshop will torture you. There won't be a day where you are not given a slew of new ideas, and a truckload of suggestions. We will wrap feedback in love, hugs and cheers, but in the center of it all, is still an encouragement to change.  Make sure that you want that before you apply.
     

  • The Easily Offended:  We have a very gooey group of staff / volunteers. We love people deeply and we will do our absolute best to make sure you know that, however we know in order to be a mature, successful, and professional Performance Interpreter, you need to remain offense free. We don't care what race, gender, religion, orientation, nationality, disability, body type, political party, "privilege" or modification defines you. We just want to love you, encourage you, and teach you. The only identities we will focus on at this workshop is that of becoming a BSLN family, and that of becoming the successful performance interpreters we will strive to be. We have a diverse group of people with diverse belief systems, personal experiences, and personal features. The most conservative will be in the same room with the most liberal. The most "irreligious" will be working alongside the most "religious". The most skilled will be practicing with people far less skilled. We are all coming together as a family for a week and THERE IS NEVER ROOM FOR OFFENSES in a close family. If you cannot find personal heart space to release anger and resentment which was initiated by issues of race, gender, religion, orientation, nationality, disability, body type, political party, "privilege", pronouns, etc, this is not the workshop for you. This workshop is ideal for individuals who are comfortable interacting with all types of individuals, and are accepting of how the staff chooses to support all the attendees with tremendous love and respect.  We aim for a week without drama. The only battles we want to fight are the struggles all interpreters face on their journey to becoming great performance interpreters...  and we will do that as a collective and unified family, differences and all.  
     

  • The Ethically Challenged: If your interpreter ethics are lacking, this isn't a great fit for you. If your moral ethics need some polishing, you should likely wait to apply. We want people who take the CPC seriously and respect all tenets of that document.  We also people who have the maturity to avoid morally questionable behavior. BSL NASHVILLE is not the place to have an affair, it's not a place to delve into experimenting with drugs, and it's not a place to practice whether you can dodge paying for a meal. We want people who come here to learn and grow, people who work hard and get excited about the professionalism we promote in every aspect of the field, but also people who do so with a solid personal moral compass.  All of that feeds into our overall professionalism, and professionalism is a critical part of being a great Performance Interpreter, and that's the reason people come here, to learn to be "great".

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If these characteristics don't define you, please apply! As you see, we work hard to make this event a place guided by love. LOVE LOVE LOVE... and FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY... that's what defines this workshop, and we hope one day that will define the field in which we are a part.   

APPLICATION PROCESS

 

Applying is easy!

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APPLICATION INFORMATION
 

  • Download the application
     

  • Fill out the application completely
     

  • Gather your: 
    1) Resume
    2) Photo
    3) Bio

     

  • Create and send in a video
    Do not be concerned about video quality. Quality of the video will not impede your ability to be accepted. Do not be concerned with making your glosses perfect. We are looking for potential not perfection.

    The video should include an intro and 2 signed songs. 


    SIGNED INTRO
    Americans/Canadians/Jamaicans (ASL/PSE-Contact Users):
    Sign or sign and voice your intro... either is fine.
    Foreign non-ASL/PSE users: Please SIGN AND SPEAK your intros


    1) Introduce yourself in Sign 
    2) Give a brief synopsis about yourself and your experience with Performance Interpreting
    3) Give a brief synopsis why you are interested in attending BSL NASHVILLE


    SIGNED SONGS
    Please include 2 signed songs:
     
    1) SONG 1 = any form of POPULAR MUSIC
    (ie: Pop, Country, Christian, Rap/Hip Hop, Blues, Alternative, Folk, Worship, R&B, Rock, Jazz, etc.) 

    2) SONG 2 = any form of MUSICAL TH
    EATRE
    (ie: Phantom, Les Mis, Legally Blonde, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Smash, Sound of Music, Wicked, The Little Mermaid, The Color Purple, Mama Mia, etc.)


    NOTE: We will not consider applications where videos submitted do not include 2 submissions, one Popular Music and one Musical Theatre. Mashups are not accepted.  You CAN submit videos of performances  you have done in the past. 

     

  • SEND THE APPLICATION
    Email the application to: 
    workshops@gatecommunications.org​​

  • and either upload the videos to a listed/unlisted YouTube channel and email us the link or send them to our email account via www.transfernow.com (free large file sending website)

 

 

REVIEW PROCESS

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Gate Communications is excited to get to know you. Make sure you take the time to fill out the application completely. Individuals will be evaluated on a variety of factors including a) skills b) experience c) philosophies & d) application date, etc. Experienced interpreters are not necessarily accepted over advanced students. A variety of individuals will be chosen at all levels of skill and experience. In the end, up to 23 people will be accepted into the BSL Nashville class + up to 10 primary runner-ups. From there a waiting list will be created. All applicants will be informed if they were accepted in the current class, as a runner-up for the current class, or have been placed on the waiting list. If for some reason one of the primary winners cannot attend, the next available runner-up will be offered the position. We strongly encourage runner-ups to be preparing their schedule and budget to attend, as it is likely they will be offered a position in the current class.

 

SCHEDULE FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

 

Last Date to Submit Applications:   
JUNE 2nd, 2024

Extension requests available upon request. See below. 


General Acceptance Letters Sent:   
JUNE
 5th, 2024  (Tentatively)

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Need an extension to complete your application? 
You can ask for an application ex
tension. Requests can be made to workshops@gatecommunications.org

Extension requests should be made by JUNE 2nd. All individuals granted extensions need their paperwork in the office by JUNE 9th. Didn't know about the event until after June 2nd? See below...

 

Extreme circumstances:
If you are facing an extreme circumstance and need additional time (such as surgery, loss of spouse, flooded home, etc) or have just heard about the workshop past the extension request date, there is still hope! Contact our office and see if there is a possibility of submitting a late application. Applications submitted after the JUNE 2nd, 2024 
extension deadline will not receive first consideration, however they will be filed if openings in the 2024 class arises.

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APPLICATION

Download the application:

CLICK HERE
 

You can download the application by starting with the link, then clicking in the top right corner on the DOWNLOAD icon. You can fill out the application online, save it to your computer/device, and directly email it to our office. 

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SCHOLARSHIPS / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

We know that everyone would benefit from financial assistance, however there are a large number of individuals who make scholarship requests. Every year we have individuals who state they can only come with assistance, then find out they were able to receive funding, often in full, through their employers, their churches/houses of worship, through their clubs, through their family, friends, and additional unexpected donor sources. As scholarships are limited, we provide scholarships to individuals who have been accepted, with the greatest need. Scholarships are regularly pursued so as more come into play, we will make those available to our attendees. We do request you make a concerted effort to find the needed funds without financial assistance so as to allow people with the greatest need to receive those scholarship funds.
 

If you are interested in a scholarship application, contact our office at:

workshops@gatecommunications.org
 

Thanks for your interest! We wish you the best of luck!

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By registering for the workshop, you are agreeing to allow videotaping of the workshop, and the free use of your image and/or voice for future advertising and/or educational purposes. You also agree to indemnify and hold harmless Gate Communications, its staff, board, volunteers, and hosts from any personal or business related loss or injury.

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Gate promotes learning environments based on love and respect. We are organization which thrives on the administration of anti-ego, anti-criticism, anti-discrimination, and anti-drama based environments. We believe we are coming together as imperfect humans all striving to improve our skills and our character without judgement of our fellow interpreters, students, and community members. Gate Communications loves people! We do not discriminate. 

 

University of NM is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for Continuing Education Activities. These Professional Studies programs are offered for the CEUs listed above at the Little/None Content Knowledge Level. CEUs currently pending approval.

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