WhirlWind Dance was founded in 2021 by Joshua Manculich, a Princess Grace Award Winner, former dancer with Thodos Dance Chicago, and proud graduate of The Ohio State University. In order to build an artistic base for movement during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, WhirlWind Dance produced its first-ever event, entitled “Let Us Move and Be Moved.” The event featured a series of dance performances presented at a socially-distanced outdoor venue in Houston, TX.  Quickly, the WhirlWind gained momentum and filled bi-annual workshops.

In 2022, the WhirlWind became a non-profit 501(c)(3)organization and moved to Columbus, OH. Most recently, the company has expanded beyond its annual summer residency and offers 52 dancers a year-round space for dance making, moving, and pedagogy. WhirlWind dance seeks to mark Columbus, OH as a national arts destination by inviting dancers to work, create, and live in Central Ohio. The WyND Program, the official youth company of WhirlWind Dance, has developed a reputation for drawing driven youth across Ohio to move, make, and grow alongside its professional company.