Nigerian Dancer Ben Dancer Completes 168-Hour Dance Marathon in Bid for Guinness World Record

Nigerian dancer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as “Ben Dancer”, has completed a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual.

The 33-year-old reached his seven-day target at about 03:00 local time at Freedom Park, where friends, supporters and other young Nigerians gathered throughout the challenge. His team said he continued dancing for another nine hours, finishing at midday before being taken to hospital for a medical check-up.

Guinness World Records confirmed to the BBC that it had received Daniel’s application. However, the organisation said the record had not yet been officially confirmed because his evidence must undergo its review and verification process.

“Benjamin’s application is active and we now eagerly await submission of his evidence,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson said, adding that the evidence would be reviewed before any record could be confirmed.

The current Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual stands at 127 hours. It was set in 2023 by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap, who was 16 at the time and performed mainly kathak, one of India’s major classical dance forms.

Ben Dancer began his attempt the previous Tuesday after 18 years of professional dancing and underwent intensive fitness preparation. His performance featured Afrobeats, fuji, jazz and zouk, while he also wore traditional Nigerian outfits including agbada and dashiki to showcase the country’s cultural diversity.

During the challenge, he was permitted five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. His team said he consumed fluids and light food while a medical team remained available. Supporters gathered at Freedom Park, with some dancing along, filming the performance and sharing videos across social media.

The attempt adds to Nigeria’s recent interest in Guinness World Records challenges. In 2023, Nigerian chef Hilda Baci received official recognition after cooking continuously for 93 hours and 11 minutes in Lagos, an achievement that triggered a surge in record applications from Nigeria, according to Guinness World Records.