Nigerian dancer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as Ben Dancer, has completed a seven-day dance marathon in Lagos, recording more than 176 hours as he seeks to set a new Guinness World Records title.
Daniel ended the challenge at about noon on Tuesday at Freedom Park, Lagos, after continuing for more than nine hours beyond the seven-day mark he reached at about 3am.
His team said the timer recorded seven days, eight hours, 32 minutes and 59 seconds at the end of the challenge.
The 33-year-old had set a target of 168 hours, seeking to surpass the existing Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual, which stands at 127 hours.
However, Guinness World Records is yet to recognise Daniel as the new record holder.
The organisation confirmed that his application was active and said evidence from the attempt would be reviewed before the record could be 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 taken to hospital for a medical check-up after completing the physically demanding challenge.
The marathon attracted supporters to Freedom Park, who gathered throughout the seven-day performance to watch and encourage the dancer.
Daniel, who has 18 years of professional dancing experience, incorporated various Nigerian dance styles and musical genres into the performance.
Afrobeats featured prominently, alongside fuji, jazz and zouk, while Daniel also wore traditional Nigerian outfits, including agbada and dashiki.
His team said the performance was designed to showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity and the country’s different traditions and dance forms.
Ahead of the attempt, Daniel underwent fitness training and adjusted his diet to prepare for the physical demands of the marathon.
During the challenge, he was allowed five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity, while medical personnel were also present. He maintained hydration and ate lightly throughout the performance.
The existing Guinness World Records title of 127 hours was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.
Daniel’s evidence will now be submitted to Guinness World Records for review and verification before his attempt can be officially recognised as a new record.
