A new Disney Animation project celebrating the beauty of American Sign Language is headed to Disney+ this spring.
Beginning April 27, in honor of National Deaf History Month, the streaming service will debut Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language, a collection of three beloved musical sequences from recent Walt Disney Animation Studios films that have been newly reimagined and animated in American Sign Language (ASL).
The featured songs include “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen II, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto, and “Beyond” from Moana 2. Each musical sequence has been carefully adapted to incorporate expressive ASL animation while staying true to the emotional storytelling of the original films.
The project was directed by veteran Disney animator and filmmaker Hyrum Osmond, who led a team of more than 20 animators in bringing the concept to life. Working alongside producers Heather Blodget and Christina Chen, the team partnered with the Tony Award-winning Deaf West Theatre to ensure the songs were authentically translated and choreographed into sign language.
According to Osmond, the process went far beyond simply adding hand movements to existing scenes. “In the majority of cases, we created entirely new animation,” he explained. “There were a lot of adjustments that we had to do within the animation to be true to the original intention.”
To help guide the project, Deaf West Theatre artistic director DJ Kurs collaborated with sign language reference choreographer Catalene Sacchetti and a group of eight performers who helped reinterpret the songs through ASL performance. Rather than translating lyrics word-for-word, the team focused on conveying the emotional meaning and storytelling behind each moment.
For Osmond, the project carries personal significance. His father is Deaf, and he said the experience shaped his motivation to bring the project to life.
“One, sign language is one of the most beautiful ways of communication on Earth. If ever there was a medium to showcase sign language, it was animation,” Osmond said. He added that the project also aims to help bridge gaps for audiences in the Deaf community, explaining that growing up without learning sign language created barriers in connecting with his father. “This reimagining of Disney Animation musical numbers helps bring down barriers and allows us to connect in a special way with our audiences in the Deaf community.”
DJ Kurs said the collaboration represented a meaningful opportunity for Deaf West Theatre as well.
“When Hyrum approached me with a potential collaboration involving the integration of ASL into the fabric of Disney storytelling, it was an immediate ‘yes’ for us,” Kurs said. “Disney stories are the universal language of childhood. The chance to bring our language into that world was a historic opportunity to reach a global audience.”
Alongside the animated musical sequences, Disney+ will also release a behind-the-scenes featurette exploring the creative process behind the project and highlighting the collaboration between Disney Animation and Deaf West Theatre.
Kurs hopes the project inspires a new generation of viewers. “For so long, we have known and loved the artistic medium of Disney Animation,” he said. “Here, the art form was adapting to us. I hope this unlocks possibilities in the minds and hearts of Deaf children, and that this all leads to more down the road.”
