Feathered Tides was a site-responsive dance and performance inspired by the Great Salt Lake and local birds. The piece explored themes of migration, home, and ecological interconnection. This 45-minute roving performance unfolded along the trails of Miller Bird Refuge, with movement and sound drawn from both shoreline and songbirds.
Audiences of 9 wore headphones to preserve the natural environment.
The performances took place May 22-31, 2025 at Miller Bird Refuge
Concept and direction by Mitsu Salmon.
Dancers and choreography by Kellie St Pierre, Masio Sangster, Ai Fujii Nelson, Florian Alberge, Rae Luebbert, and Roxanne Gray.
Costumes by Virginia Broyles.
Sound by Simon Briggs and Peter Speer.
Filming by Cayden Turnbow and Ryan Ross.
Project manager Chloe Henderson.
Feathered Tides was made possible by Wake the Great Salt Lake, a temporary art project supported by the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, and the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Public Art Challenge.
Wake the Great Salt Lake is a temporary public art project to educate residents and visitors about the decline of the Great Salt Lake and to inspire hope and action for its restoration and preservation. Without action, the Great Salt Lake’s collapse would have major ecological and economic impacts on the city, state, and region. The project has engaged renowned artists, regional Indigenous communities, scientists, and advocacy groups to ensure the artworks are rooted in reliable research and responsive to this rapidly progressing ecological crisis.