Nigerian Dancer Aims for 168-Hour Dance Record

Nigerian dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, also known as Bendancer, is on the last day of a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos. He is trying to break the Guinness World Record for the longest dance marathon by a single person.

The 33-year-old started his challenge at Freedom Park, Lagos, on September 21. He is expected to finish the 168-hour goal early on Tuesday, September 29.

If he succeeds, Bendancer will beat the current record of 127 hours. This record was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.

The challenge has attracted many people to Freedom Park. Young Nigerians have come out to support him, and videos from the marathon have gone viral on social media.

Gabriel has been a professional dancer for 18 years. He works in choreography, creative directing, dance consultancy, modeling, and fitness training.

He founded Bendancer Academy International, which focuses on training and mentoring young dancers. Before this, he was the North-East Zonal Dance Coordinator for the Dance Guild of Nigeria, where he worked on dance development and mentoring talent.

Gabriel also joined Made Kuti and The Movement. He is known as the first and only male dancer to perform in the Kuti family’s tradition at the New Afrika Shrine. His performances include Felabration, the 2021 Big Brother Naija finale, Trophy Shout International Festival, Global Citizenship, and Project Asia.

For Bendancer, this challenge is more than just breaking a record. It is also about promoting Nigerian and African dance.

During the marathon, he has included different Nigerian dance styles and music genres. These include Afrobeats, fuji, jazz, and zouk. At times, he has worn traditional outfits like agbada and dashiki. His team says the performance shows Nigeria’s cultural diversity.

The rules from Guinness for marathon records allow five minutes of rest for every hour of dancing. Any unused rest time can be saved up.

Bendancer has been using these rest periods in blocks. He also eats lightly and drinks fluids during the challenge. A medical team is on standby at Freedom Park.

The event has turned into a public spectacle. Supporters and guests, including Made Kuti, have come to Freedom Park, and videos from the challenge are spreading rapidly online.

Even though Bendancer is trying to break Jagtap’s 127-hour record with his 168-hour target, Guinness World Records has not confirmed if his attempt counts as a new record. The organization will review the evidence from the challenge before making a decision.

For now, Bendancer is still dancing in Lagos. He is nearing the end of his seven-day challenge and is waiting to see if he will earn a spot in the Guinness World Record.