Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nigerian contemporary dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, popularly known as Bendancer, is attempting to dance for 168 hours in Lagos in a bid to set a new Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual.
The 33-year-old dancer began the endurance challenge at Freedom Park in Lagos and is now on the final stage of the seven-day attempt, with his 168-hour target expected to be reached on Tuesday, September 29, according to current reports.
If successfully completed and subsequently accepted by Guinness World Records, the attempt would exceed the organisation’s currently listed individual record of 127 hours, achieved by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in Latur, India, in June 2023.
Bendancer’s Seven-Day Dance Marathon
Bendancer announced the record attempt earlier in September, describing the challenge as an effort to demonstrate endurance while placing Nigerian and African dance culture on an international platform.
The planned target was 168 hours, equivalent to seven consecutive days. The event was scheduled to take place at Freedom Park, Lagos, with Inspiro Productions providing media access, operational support and press logistics.
Other organisations and brands associated with the event include Eventport, Aurelia African Fashion, Bethcare, Freedom Park, Robo Fitness, Bulux, The Kuti Family, Ishine Worldwide, Offbalance Podcast and the Guild of Nigerian Dancers.
The challenge has attracted members of the public, dancers and young Nigerians to Freedom Park, where supporters have gathered to watch and document the performance.
Current Record Stands at 127 Hours
Guinness World Records currently lists the longest dance marathon by an individual as 127 hours, achieved by Srushti Sudhir Jagtap of India between May 29 and June 3, 2023.
Jagtap performed predominantly Kathak during the record attempt at Dayanand College in Latur, Maharashtra. Guinness World Records lists the performance as the current individual record on its website.
Bendancer’s proposed 168-hour target would therefore be 41 hours longer than the existing listed record.
However, completing the physical challenge and receiving official recognition are separate stages.
The BBC reported on September 28 that Guinness World Records had not yet confirmed whether Bendancer’s attempt qualifies as an official record, and that the organisation had been contacted for comment.
That distinction is important because a record attempt does not automatically become a Guinness World Records achievement simply because the target duration has been reached.
A Test of Endurance and Discipline
Bendancer has more than 18 years of professional experience in dance and has worked across choreography, creative direction, dance consultancy, modelling and fitness instruction.
He is also the founder of Bendancer Academy International, an organisation focused on training and mentoring emerging dancers.
In announcing the attempt, Bendancer said the challenge was about more than establishing a record. He said he wanted to demonstrate what discipline, resilience and belief could achieve while inspiring young creatives.
His career has included work with Made Kuti and The Movement, while he has also appeared at cultural and entertainment events including Felabration and the Big Brother Naija finale.
Nigerian and African Dance Culture in Focus
The marathon has also become a showcase for different elements of Nigerian and African popular culture.
According to BBC reporting from the event, Afrobeats has featured prominently during the performance, alongside genres including fuji, jazz and zouk.
Bendancer has also incorporated traditional Nigerian clothing, including agbada and dashiki, during parts of the marathon.
The combination of contemporary dance, Nigerian music and traditional cultural expression has given the record attempt a wider cultural dimension beyond the endurance challenge itself.
Al Jazeera also reported on September 28 that Bendancer was undertaking the 168-hour challenge in Lagos as part of an effort to place African dance on the global stage.
Crowds Gather at Freedom Park
The attempt has attracted growing public attention in Lagos, with young people and supporters gathering around the performance area.
BBC reported that spectators had been filming the performance and dancing along from behind barriers at Freedom Park.
The public presence has turned the attempt into a community event, while also providing Bendancer with visible support during the demanding final stages of the marathon.
Freedom Park, a major cultural and recreational space in Lagos, has remained central to the event and has provided a public setting for the performance.
Guinness Verification Remains Important
While Bendancer is seeking to surpass the existing 127-hour individual record, the final outcome depends not only on completing the planned duration but also on Guinness World Records’ verification process.
Guinness World Records notes that records can change and that its online information is not necessarily updated immediately. Its published listing nevertheless currently identifies Jagtap’s 127-hour performance as the longest individual dance marathon.
As of the latest reporting, therefore, Bendancer should be described as an attempting record-breaker, rather than as the confirmed holder of the Guinness World Records title.
The distinction will remain until Guinness World Records officially validates the attempt.
What Happens Next
Bendancer is expected to complete the 168-hour target on Tuesday, September 29, bringing the physical endurance phase of the challenge to an end.
The next significant stage will be the assessment of the attempt under Guinness World Records’ requirements.
If the organisation verifies the performance, Bendancer could become the holder of the longest dance marathon by an individual, surpassing the 127-hour record established in India in 2023.
Until that verification is issued, the confirmed development is that a Nigerian dancer has undertaken a seven-day, 168-hour attempt in Lagos to challenge the existing record.
For Nigeria’s creative industry, the event has nevertheless placed dance, Nigerian music and African cultural expression at the centre of an internationally recognised record attempt.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
Guinness World Records
BBC
Punch
Al Jazeera
Vanguard
THISDAY
