On Tuesday 22 September, Ben Dancer – real name Benjamin Daniel – launched a 168‑hour dance marathon at Freedom Park in Lagos, hoping to break the Guinness World Records for the longest individual dance marathon. The attempt, which would end early on the following Tuesday morning, is 41 hours longer than the current record of 127 hours held by 16‑year‑old Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap.
While Guinness has not yet confirmed the attempt as an official record, the organization has been contacted by the BBC for comment. In the meantime, the event has attracted a steady stream of young supporters who line the park’s perimeter to cheer and film the dancer’s every move.
“It’s a beautiful moment. Seeing how far he has come and witnessing him achieve this feat made me incredibly proud and grateful to God,” Uche Anumudu told the BBC, echoing the sentiment of many who have gathered.
Ben Dancer, who has been dancing professionally for 18 years, has blended Nigeria’s diverse dance traditions with contemporary internet culture throughout the marathon. Afrobeats, fuji, jazz and zouk have all featured, and he has swapped his attire for traditional Nigerian garments such as the flowing agbada and dashiki to showcase the country’s 250+ ethnic groups.
His team says he has undergone intensive fitness training, altered his diet to focus on carbohydrates and cardiovascular conditioning, and will take five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. He has chosen to dance for several hours at a time before accumulating his rest periods. A medical team has been on standby to provide assistance if needed.
Social media videos of the marathon have gone viral, drawing more people to the venue and turning the scene into a street party. Moronumubo Akodu, a frequent visitor, remarked, “It is actually insane but I am so proud of him.” Emmanuel Ulelu, who attended twice, noted a “striking change in the dancer’s energy” and said, “Even after just three hours of dancing at the location myself, I wondered how he would keep going.” He added that by 16 hours into day five, Ben Dancer appeared more energetic than before, illustrating the power of determination.
Nigeria’s relationship with Guinness World Records has grown since 2023, when chef Hilda Baci set a 93‑hour cooking record in Lagos. That achievement sparked a surge of record attempts in the country, with over 1,500 new applications received within two months.
As the marathon continues, fans and observers will watch to see if Ben Dancer can complete the 168 hours and etch his name into the annals of world record history.
