WESTFIELD-If you have done a double take while driving around the Westfield Green of late, your eyes have not deceived you – witches are rehearsing for upcoming events throughout the city in the coming weeks.
Whip City Witches enjoy rehearsing on the Westfield Green.
The Whip City Witches, founded recently by Lori McElhiney aka Adareya, Ginnie Bassi, aka Storm, and Cindy Pendleton, aka Blaze, are eager to showcase their choreography. Members also include Mary Beth Berrien, aka Sage, Betz Magni, aka Risa, Lisa Huntoon, aka Raven, Karen Schomer, aka Cinder, Stephanie Haskins, aka Yzma, and Endura, who prefers to remain anonymous behind the mask.
“A women’s social group was formed about four years ago,” said McElhiney. “We get together a few times a year for dinner or an event, and the members of Whip City Witches also are members of the group.”
Earlier this year, McElhiney had seen a Facebook video of a German group performing a dance to the song “Schuttel dein speck” by Peter Fox and posted the video to her page. After Bassi saw the performance, she was “enchanted” and encouraged McElhiney to find a way for the women to perform it in the area.
Founders of Whip City Witches are Lori McElhiney, Ginnie Bassi, and Cindy Pendleton.
“I didn’t take her seriously initially but after she memorized the dance and Cindy also got on the band wagon, I grabbed the music and modified the dance,” said McElhiney, noting that as a former professional belly dancer, she knew the group could not copy the dance.
Once the routine was created and mastered, McElhiney created a Facebook page called Witches of Walpurgis which consisted of Bassi, Pendleton and herself, and sent out a message that a dance group was forming to see if there was any interest.
“With currently 19 members, we started meeting once a week which quickly became twice a week,” said McElhiney.
McElhiney said her experience with professional belly dance troupes over the years has been invaluable in helping form the group.
“Everyone who has attended our rehearsals is excited,” said McElhiney. “We have a great time exercising and chatting but the costume making has been phenomenal. We have many creative women in the group who have really gone to town.”
Currently, the women have gigs set up at The Arbors and the first annual Westfield Trunk or Treat event, and are open to performing at different venues during the Halloween season.
“I told the girls from the beginning that this is likely not something we can charge for but if they are willing to dance for free then we’ll find places to perform,” said McElhiney. “So far we have been very well received by the various audience members we’ve had. Our season will be gone before we know it.”
Members of the Whip City Witches rehearse on the Westfield Green.
Bassi echoed those sentiments.
“We are interesting women, we have great personalities, and we’re having fun with these low-impact exercise performances,” said Bassi.
Pendleton concurred.
“We put our heart and soul into each performance,” said Pendleton. “For anyone who wishes to join us, you must be serious about dedicating your time to rehearsals and performances.”
For more information on booking the Whip City Witches, or joining the troupe, send an email to [email protected].
“Folks should hire us because we are real women – some of us are a tad overweight, we have wrinkles and scars – but we love to dance and have worked really hard to pull our costumes and performance together,” said McElhiney. “You can come from any walk of life or profession and let your hair down long enough to have fun and network with other women. It’s a night out, fun and healthy.”
