Kristina Ancil Edwards choreographed Spirit Lake based on stories from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens on May 18, 1980. The explosion killed 57 people, and radically altered the landscape, spreading ash across 11 states, and releasing as much thermal energy as 26 tons of TNT.
Edwards focuses on the story of Harry R. Truman, a man who lived alone on the mountain and died in the explosion. In the lead-up to the eruption, Truman was repeatedly interviewed as reporters and the public alike tried to understand his refusal to leave despite the impending danger. Edwards builds her choreography around the developing friendship and respect between the primary interviewer and Truman.
My design drew on the imagery of the eruption and its aftermath, highlighting the extremes of natural force that disrupted human life around Mt. Saint Helens. The texture of fallen trees at the scale of whole forests, the green tinge of the photography and television cameras under ash-covered skies, and the images of Harry R. Truman himself informed the atmosphere I created.
The piece was premiered in Conflux Dance Theater’s 3rd concert, Synergy, in June 2024. The concert was performed at Grace Street Theater in Richmond, Virginia.
