Nigerian dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, popularly known as Bendancer, has embarked on a 168-hour dance marathon at Freedom Park, Lagos, in a bid to break the Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual. The 33-year-old started the unusual endurance challenge on September 21 and is expected to complete it on September 29. Bendancer aims to surpass the current published record of 127 hours achieved by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.
Bendancer's dance marathon has attracted attention from Nigerians, with supporters trooping to Freedom Park to cheer him on. Videos from the marathon have also continued to spread across social media, leaving many people amazed at his stamina. Throughout the challenge, Bendancer has incorporated various traditional Nigerian outfits into his dance routines to showcase African culture and heritage. He has used Nigerian dance styles, Afrobeats, fuji, and other genres to celebrate African culture.
Bendancer is not just someone who woke up and decided to dance for seven days. The Nigerian dancer has spent about 18 years building a career in the creative industry. He works as a dancer, choreographer, creative director, dance consultant, model, and fitness instructor. He is also the founder of Bendancer Academy International, an organisation focused on training and developing upcoming dancers.
Before starting the academy, Gabriel served as the North-East Zonal Dance Coordinator for the Dance Guild of Nigeria, where he contributed to dance development and mentorship. He has also performed with Made Kuti and The Movement, reportedly becoming the first and only male dancer to perform within the Kuti family’s performance tradition at the New Afrika Shrine. His career highlights include performances at Felabration, the 2021 Big Brother Naija finale, Trophy Shout International Festival, Global Citizenship, and Project Asia.
During the performance, Bendancer has incorporated different dance styles and music genres, including Afrobeats, fuji, jazz, and zouk. At different points, he also performed in traditional Nigerian outfits like agbada and dashiki. His team said the idea was to represent Nigeria’s different cultures through movement and music. The marathon is not only about adding his name to the Guinness World Records list but also about showcasing Nigerian culture and the diversity of African dance.
A 168-hour dance challenge sounds almost impossible, but Guinness World Records marathon rules allow participants to take short breaks during the attempt. According to the rules, participants are allowed five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. These rest periods can also be saved and used together. Bendancer has reportedly been taking his permitted rest breaks in blocks while maintaining a light diet and staying hydrated. A medical team has also been present at Freedom Park to monitor him throughout the challenge.
As the marathon entered its final hours, supporters, entertainers, and guests continued showing up to encourage him, turning the event into a major public spectacle. However, despite completing the challenge, Bendancer’s record will not become official immediately. Guinness World Records will still need to review the evidence and documentation from the attempt before confirming whether he has broken the record. For now, the Nigerian dancer remains on the floor, chasing a historic achievement one move at a time.
Key points
- Bendancer aims to surpass the current published record of 127 hours achieved by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.
- Bendancer has incorporated various traditional Nigerian outfits into his dance routines to showcase African culture and heritage.
- Guinness World Records will review the evidence and documentation from the attempt before confirming whether Bendancer has broken the record.
