The Ghost Dance

The archeological dig in the Arizona desert uncovers the long-dead shaman Nahalla. Dr. Kay Foster, an archeologist and anthropology professor, leads the excavation as eerie signs indicate the spirit's awakening. The discovery sets off a chain of disturbing events linked to Nahalla's dark history.

After Aranjo steals a Kachina doll from Nahalla's grave and performs a ritual, Nahalla's spirit takes control of Aranjo. With the body now possessed, Nahalla begins a murderous rampage. The possession shifts the danger from the dig site to the wider community.

Nahalla's influence triggers chaos as a truck rolls into the archeological dig site, seriously injuring a worker. The incident raises the alarm about supernatural interference on the project. Investigators start to suspect that the danger is more than a simple accident.

Aranjo infiltrates the local museum after hours and murders two colleagues of Kay, Carol and Rick Haley. The killings demonstrate Nahalla's vendetta extending beyond the dig site. The museum becomes the new epicenter of fear for Kay and her team.

Aranjo begins to stalk Kay and her boyfriend, Tom Eagle, lurking outside Kay's house at night. The threat grows personal as the entity targets those closest to Kay. The couple becomes increasingly anxious and cautious.

Kay and her peers dig into Nahalla's past and uncover that he arrived in the region in the 1890s with an Anglo wife and formed a Ghost Dance–inspired cult. The discovery links Nahalla's violent legacy to the present danger. Their research sheds light on why Nahalla's spirit endures.

In the museum's medical laboratory, Paul and Kay study the mummified remains of Nahalla for clues. After Kay leaves, the possessed Aranjo confronts Paul and stabs him to death. The brutal act marks a sharp escalation as researchers become direct targets.

Kay experiences a terrifying encounter with the possessed Aranjo on a desert road and seeks help. Tom dismisses the event as a stress-induced hallucination, highlighting the clash between belief and disbelief. The episode reinforces the sense that the danger is real and escalating.

Back in the archives, Kay uncovers a photo of Melissa Stuart, the woman Nahalla kidnapped, and she bears a striking resemblance to Melissa. The discovery deepens the mystery and links Kay personally to the haunting. The revelation pushes the investigation toward a confrontation with the past.

Tom brings Kay to Ocacio, a local medicine man who agrees to help and plans to visit the dig site for rites. Ocacio's knowledge offers a path to confront Nahalla, hinging on ritual with the Kachina doll. The alliance introduces a glimmer of a possible resolution to the haunting.

Ocacio travels to the dig site to perform a ritual using the Kachina doll to control Aranjo. A possessed Kay stumbles into the scene and tries to stab Tom but is knocked unconscious. The ritual setup leads to a climactic confrontation between the possessed and the living.

Aranjo stabs Ocacio to death, and Ocacio drops the Kachina doll into an open fire, causing Nahalla's body to spontaneously combust. The immediate threat appears neutralized, but the ritual comes at a deadly price. Tom and Kay prepare for the final stand back at the museum.

Tom and Kay return to the museum and douse Nahalla's mummified corpse in alcohol, attempting to end the haunting. Just before dawn, Kay reveals she is still possessed by Melissa, turning the moment into a final, terrifying confrontation. Kay wields a scalpel, leaving the outcome unresolved.