Welcome to the 2025 Whitewater Whirl. Whether you’re a dedicated, would-not-miss-it Whirler or new to the weekend, we look forward to dancing with you! The weekend is held at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV. Online registration opens on October 15.

We have two great bands. Supertrad brings together three of the most talented and in-demand musicians on the contra dance circuit: Sam Bartlett (banjo, mandolin, guitar), Eric Schedler (accordion, banjo and piano), and Owen Morrison (guitar and foot percussion). You’ll remember Eric from his playing with Brazenkeys at the 2024 Whirl. In their own words, “Supertrad is the kind of contra dance band you would like to have with you in the zombie apocalypse.” Well, let’s at least have them play the Whirl first.

Making their Whirl debut are the Michigan-based The Johns, who come highly recommended and who have been delighting dancers with their driving melodies and rock-solid rhythms for over ten years. The line-up is Ruby John (fiddle), John Warstler (guitar) and Budd Greenman (fiddle, mandolin, tenor banjo and percussion)

After calling every Whirl since the first weekend in 2005, Gaye Fifer is taking a break from calling but she and Wayne will join us to teach the Beyond the Basics waltz workshop on Saturday morning.

We’re delighted to welcome Darlene Underwood (Cincinnati), who’s been teaching and calling dances throughout the United States for over 25 years, spreading happiness, connection and fun. She will be joined by Michael Karcher (Allentown, PA) who says he “has been having the time of his life” calling dances and weekends from coast to coast since 2011.

Our talented sound engineer, Hanno Meingast, will be making the music in the hall sound great.

The calling terms will be larks and robins. After a thoughtful and respectful exchange of views last year, the Whirl planning committee voted for gender-free terms, citing inclusivity and the need to attract younger dancers as their main reasons. We are aware of the arguments on the other side (and this is not the place to restart the debate). Please understand that we came to the decision honestly and democratically. We hope those who prefer traditional terms will still join us for the weekend. 

We are grateful to David Frantz for capturing the 2024 Whirl on camera. Please go to Memories of Whirl 2024 to see some of his images of a fantastic weekend.

We’ll be dancing in our wood and stone New Deal-era hall with suspended wooden floor and barn doors opened or closed to suit the weather. The dancing starts Friday night and goes until 3:00 pm on Sunday.

Cabin accommodation (metal frame bunk beds) or camping at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV is included in the weekend price. The camp will open Thursday night, May 1, for early arrivals. Consider staying Sunday night, hiking or rafting in the New River Gorge, and then heading south to Warren and Terry Doyle’s Spring Contradancers Delight Holiday, May 9-16, 2025, just a three-hour drive away at the Appalachian Folk School in Mountain City, TN.

We have a stellar planning committee for 2025, consisting of dedicated Whirlers and dance organizers — Jim Sedivy (River Rendezvous), Fia Feller (Valley Contra Dance board, Bethlehem, PA), Bill Hedrick (Zionville, NC), Anna Brinkmeier (Wheeling, WV), Kim Thompson (Athens, OH), Dale Shirer (Cleveland area), Heather Oelker (central Ohio), and the FOOTMAD crew, Becky Park (FOOTMAD manager), Jeannie Dalporto, Hanna Thurman, and yours truly. If you have suggestions about how we can improve the weekend, please email us at whitewater.whirl@gmail.com .

Happy Whirls,
David, Chair, 2025 Whirl Planning Committee