Lennart Westerlund Resigns after Controversies surround Herrang Dance Camp
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Lennart Westerlund, a co-founder and long-time organizer at the famed Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden, announced today that he was resigning from the organization. He cited as reasons an “ongoing personal process” and “the lack of positive energy within the scene.”
One can presume that the “lack of positive energy” was the firestorm of criticism that the Herrang Dance Camp has been receiving, after many BIPOC and LGBTQ+ dancers spoke out about their negative experiences at the camp. A number of online debates and calls to action have occurred over the years, particularly in the wake of Black Lives Matter. But the matter has particularly come to a head with the publication of the NPR podcast and article “May We Have This Dance"?” earlier this year.
We recommend you give it a read / listen if you haven’t seen it before continuing.
In response, the Herrang organizers posted a lengthy response on their Facebook page on June 4, where they “deeply apologize for taking so long recognizing the problems and start the work towards the change that, we now know, is much needed.” This resulted in scores of comments strongly critiquing the organizers, as well as comments in support of the camp.
And then a couple of days later, Lennart Westerlund resigned. Here is the full letter from Lennert that was posted to Facebook and emailed to their mailing list today.
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
