A Nigerian dancer has successfully completed a 168-hour marathon in Lagos, aiming to establish a new world record.
Benjamin Daniel, professionally known as “Ben Dancer”, sought to surpass the Guinness World Record for the longest individual dance marathon by dancing continuously for seven days.
Supported by friends and fans at Lagos’s Freedom Park, the 33-year-old reached his 168-hour target around 03:00 local time but continued dancing for another nine hours until midday, according to his team. The physically exhausted dancer has since been hospitalized for a medical evaluation.
Guinness World Records has confirmed to the BBC that it has received Daniel’s application. The existing record stands at 127 hours.
“Benjamin’s application is currently active, and we eagerly await his evidence submission, which will undergo our official review and verification process before any record is confirmed,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson stated.
His team expressed being “elated” and emotional as they watched him complete the challenge, which was live-streamed on social media.
Young supporters gathered over the past few days at Freedom Park in Lagos to cheer him on, filming his every move and dancing along from behind the barriers.
“It’s a beautiful moment. Seeing his progress and witnessing him achieve this feat made me incredibly proud and grateful to God,” Uche Anumudu, an onlooker, told the BBC.
The current record was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023, at age 16. Her performance primarily featured kathak, one of India’s major classical dance forms.
Ben Dancer, who has been dancing professionally for 18 years and began his attempt last Tuesday, drew upon Nigeria’s rich dance traditions and its rapidly evolving internet culture.
Afrobeats served as a constant presence during his performance, alongside genres such as fuji, jazz, and zouk.
At times, he swapped his dance attire for traditional Nigerian outfits, including the flowing agbada and dashiki.
