A Nigerian dancer, Benjamin Daniel, known as "Ben Dancer", has completed a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos in a bid to set a new Guinness World Record. The 33-year-old dancer aimed to dance for seven days to break the current record of 127 hours. Ben Dancer's attempt was live streamed on social media, and he was cheered on by friends and supporters at Lagos's Freedom Park.
Ben Dancer reached his target time at around 03:00 local time but continued dancing for another nine hours until midday. His team says he was physically exhausted after the challenge and has now gone to hospital for a medical check-up. Guinness World Records has confirmed that it has received Daniel's application for the title and will review and verify his evidence before confirming the record.
The current record for the longest dance marathon by an individual was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023, when she was 16. Her performance focused mainly on kathak, one of India's major classical dance forms. Ben Dancer, who has been dancing professionally for 18 years, drew on Nigeria's rich dance traditions as well as its fast-changing internet culture.
Ben Dancer's performance was intended to reflect Nigeria's cultural diversity, with Afrobeats, fuji, jazz, and zouk music playing during his dance. He also wore traditional Nigerian outfits, including the flowing agbada and dashiki. The scene around him became a street party, with videos from the event going viral across social media platforms.
Ben Dancer underwent intensive fitness training before the attempt, changing his diet and focusing on carbohydrates and cardiovascular conditioning. During the danceathon, he ate lightly and drank fluids while taking the permitted five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. A medical team was present throughout the challenge.
The event drew large crowds, with young people gathering to cheer Ben Dancer on at Freedom Park in Lagos. Some supporters, like Uche Anumudu, said they were proud and grateful to see Ben Dancer achieve his feat. Others, like Moronumubo Akodu, expressed concern about the physical toll the challenge took on Ben Dancer.
Nigeria has a strong relationship with Guinness World Records, particularly in entertainment. In 2023, Nigerian chef Hilda Baci cooked continuously for 93 hours and 11 minutes in Lagos, setting a new record. Guinness says it received over 1,500 new applications from Nigeria within two months of her cook-a-thon, including events like reading, singing, and crocheting.
Key points
- Ben Dancer completed a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos to set a new Guinness World Record.
- The current record for the longest dance marathon by an individual stands at 127 hours.
- Ben Dancer's performance was intended to reflect Nigeria's cultural diversity.
