By Enitan Abdultawab
Nigerian dancer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as Ben Dancer, has completed a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos as he bids to set a new Guinness World Records title.
The 33-year-old began the challenge last Tuesday at Freedom Park in Lagos, aiming to break the current record of 127 hours for the longest dance marathon by an individual.
Daniel reached the seven-day mark at about 3am on Tuesday but continued dancing for another nine hours, eventually ending the challenge at midday, according to his team.
Guinness World Records has confirmed that it received Daniel’s application, but said the record has not yet been officially confirmed.
“Benjamin’s application is active and we now eagerly await submission of his evidence, which will then go through our official review and verification process before any record can be confirmed,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson told the BBC.
Daniel was later taken to hospital for a medical check-up after completing the challenge.
The dance marathon attracted crowds to Freedom Park, with supporters gathering at the venue to watch and encourage him throughout the seven-day performance.
Daniel, who has been a professional dancer for 18 years, incorporated different Nigerian dance styles and musical genres into the performance.
Afrobeats featured prominently throughout the challenge, alongside fuji, jazz and zouk. He also wore traditional Nigerian outfits, including agbada and dashiki, at different points during the performance.
His team said the performance was designed to showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity, with the country’s more than 250 ethnic groups providing a broad range of traditions and dance forms.
Daniel underwent fitness training before the attempt and adjusted his diet to support the physically demanding challenge.
During the marathon, he was allowed five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. He also ate lightly, stayed hydrated and had medical personnel present throughout the attempt.
The current Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023 after she danced for 127 hours.
Daniel’s application will now undergo Guinness World Records’ review and verification process before any new record can be officially recognised.
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