Frederick County girl signs music for deaf children

Dec. 29—Savannah Dahan wants deaf children like herself to know that they can also enjoy music.

She also wants to change hearing people's perspectives on the deaf community and their relationship to music.

That's how Savannah, 12, of Jefferson, became involved in a new video series with Kidz Bop called Sign + Dance Along this year, in which kids can sign, dance and sing to their favorite tunes. With Kidz Bop, she goes by the nickname Savvy.

"[Kidz Bop] gave me really great opportunities to access for deaf kids to have access to music, as well," Savannah said through an interpreter. "Most deaf children, you know, they don't really care about music, so it was really good to bring that access to them to have them be able to enjoy music, too."

When deaf children see someone like them on stage, signing and dancing all at the same time, they will feel like they can do that too, Savannah said. It wouldn't be the same if it were a hearing person, she said.

"If it's just another hearing person, you know, they don't feel included, it's hard for them to relate and connect to them, to the performer on stage," Savannah said. "So, it just wouldn't be the same as having someone who's deaf on stage and being able to see that representation in front of them."

Savannah was with her father, Richard Dahan, who is also deaf. Roughly 90% of deaf children have hearing parents, and 75% don't sign with their deaf children, he said through an interpreter.

"Her hope and goal [is] that it brings families together to have music and sign language coming together," Richard Dahan said.

Savannah has always loved signing to music, Dahan said.

Her big break came when Richard posted a video on Facebook of Savannah signing "The Champion" by Carrie Underwood. Almost overnight, it got millions of likes, he said.

She had the rhythm and the intensity, even at 8 years old, he said.

The video also caught the attention of Carrie Underwood, who invited Savannah to sign a song at one of her concerts in Washington, D.C., and meet her.

To this day, "The Champion" is Savannah's favorite song to sign. She's signed "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Disney's "Encanto," "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift and more, but "The Champion" has a special place in her heart, she said.

"I feel like I wouldn't be where I am today, if it wasn't for that song and the way that it was shared," she said. "It's been a long time. I was 8 years old when I first signed it, and it still touches me even now, until I'm 12."

With Kidz Bop, Savannah, who is home schooled, flies out once a month to different places. She's already been to New York, Colorado, Georgia and New Jersey. New York and Colorado are her favorite, she said.

"[New York is] just so beautiful. ... It's really eye-catching, you know, with the lights and everything," she said. "And then Colorado is also extremely beautiful for the mountains."

Otherwise, Savannah stays at home and practices her signs and her dances. Richard said he and his wife, Jennifer, are proud of her.

"Once she started, you know, getting famous around 8, I thought it would stop and then all of a sudden, you know, she had more and more opportunities and doors opening up for her. So, it really was unexpected."

Savannah has also acted. She had a role in a "Law and Order" episode, playing a deaf student. She is questioned by investigators until they eventually catch the bad guy.

She enjoyed the experience, but is passionate about music.

"I really do want to spread awareness for music within deaf children ... kind of the accessibility to have ASL in the videos and in songs and music videos," Savannah said.

Follow Clara Niel on Twitter: @clarasniel