The Track - E045 - Felix Berghäll

The Track with Ryan Swift

In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Felix Berghäll. Like many Swedish dancers, Felix started dancing Bugg in the national competition scene at a young age. He fell in love with Lindy Hop, Jazz, and tap after his first visit to Herräng dance camp in 2009. He has since gone on to teach and perform around the world, earning titles at events such as Snowball, the Savoy Cup, and the International Lindy Hop Championships.

Felix joined me at ILHC 2019 to talk about his experience in competitive Swedish dance culture starting as a 9-year-old, feeling freed by Lindy Hop when he discovered it in his teens, and his experiences at Herräng -- including dancing, teaching and spending time in the infamous DJ office.

We also discuss his time performing with The Hot Shots, his hope that greater education about the roots and history of the dance can help prevent offensive and insensitive incidents in the global Lindy Hop scene, and the subtle differences between “performing” and “putting on a performance.”