The Legend of the Pitch Lake Myth
Choreographed by: Kieron Dwayne Sargeant
Please be advised this performance includes references to violence.
This work is centered around one of the legendary myths of the Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago. After winning a battle, the Chimas celebrated by creating a great feast of hummingbirds, and the tribe used the feathers to decorate themselves, forgetting that hummingbirds were the spirits of their ancestors. In punishment, the winged God's opened up the earth and summoned the Pitch Lake to swallow the village.
The Pitch Lake is found in southwest Trinidad in the village of La Brea. The lake produces hot asphalt, measures approximately one hundred acres (41 hectares), and is estimated to be two hundred and fifty feet (76 meters) deep in the center.
This work was created as way to foster diversity and inclusion by having students learn about Trinidad and Tobago and its historical narratives through physical embodiment.
Dancers
| Role | Dancer(s) |
|---|---|
| Humming Bird | Ellie Daley |
| Villagers | Maddison Bulman, Jacqueline Fuentes, Maya Villanueva |
| Spirits | Cearra Crosser, Kendra McDaniel, Katherine Scuderi, Amya Lopez |
| Hunters | Morgan Powers, Lexi Timmerman |
Artistic Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Music Editor | Ramin Roshandel |
| Music Arranger | Fodé Moussa Camara |
| Video and Text Designer | Arman Hodasefat |
| Costume Designer | Kieron Dwayne Sargeant |
| Costume Coordinator | Margaret Wenk-Kuchlbauer |
| Lighting Designer | Jim Albert |
| Stage Manager | Taylor Jackson |
Special Thanks
A special thanks goes out to Melinda Myers, Artistic Director of UIDC; Todd Rhoades, Rehearsal Director; Ramin Roshandel, Music Editor; Arman Hodasfat, Video Designer; The Students of The University of Iowa; Maura Pilcher, Director of Grant Wood Colony; and The Department of Dance.