Changing Face of Herräng Dance Camp

Lennart Westerlund has resigned from HDC. The following statement was taken from the Herräng Dance Camp Official Facebook Page June 7, 2022

Dear swing dancers,

As the editor of the monthly newsletter and most other sources of written information such as the official website, weekly booklets and printed material, as well as often being the face and voice for public information at the physical event, I would like to announce the following: today, I have decided to resign from all of my strategic and operational duties pertaining to Herräng Dance Camp. The reasons for my decision are many and are partly due to an ongoing personal process which started over the past few years, but even more so it is due to the lack of inspiration stemming from the lack of positive energy within the scene.

It is disheartening to see the hostility and disrespect towards others within the lindy community today. Words like etiquette, thoughtfulness and courtesy seem to have lost their meaning, with the last couple of years representing an unparalleled example of this. There has been a noticeable increase in smear campaigns and other forms of vilification in general aimed at both regular dancers and organisers from all walks of life, with diverse backgrounds and affiliations. Aggressive, unprovoked personal attacks and assumptions can be found alongside a shortage of critical thinking and little space for thoughtful, constructive and multilateral conversations. Frankly speaking, it is an environment that is unacceptable for anyone including our personnel to work in over time.

Swing dancing in general and the work around Herräng Dance Camp has been a passionate and integral part of my life for a long time, and the event has been a fantastic opportunity for all kinds of ideas linked to the wide and free aspects of swing dancing as a hub for artistic expressions. To all of you, thank you very much for all of the good memories over the past 40 years. It is my hope that the summer to come will be inspiring, despite all the difficult circumstances that have surrounded the event for the last couple of years, and that swing dancing can continue to be the common ground that unites people from all over the world.

Sincerely and best wishes,

Lennart Westerlund