Nigeria's Ben Dancer dances non-stop for seven days in world record bid

A 33-year-old Nigerian performer known as Ben Dancer has finished a week-long dance effort in Lagos in an attempt to claim a global mark. He completed 168 hours at Freedom Park and then kept moving for roughly nine further hours.

His team said he passed the planned total at about 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday and stayed on his feet until noon. Friends and backers urged him on at the venue, while young spectators filmed and moved along from behind barriers. Afterwards, physically drained, he went to hospital for checks.

He had prepared with hard physical work, altered eating with an emphasis on carbohydrates and heart fitness, and had medics nearby. He performed in stretches lasting hours before using built-up rest time. The soundtrack featured Afrobeats throughout, plus fuji, jazz and zouk, reflecting Nigeria's many cultural traditions.

Guinness World Records said his application remains active and evidence still needs to be submitted for assessment. A spokesperson said it must pass through "official review and verification process" before any confirmation. The present holder is Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap, who set the mark in 2023 at age 16 with a routine centred largely on kathak.

Regular visitors praised his resolve but expressed unease about the strain. Moronumubo Akodu, who came several times during the week, admired his determination while worrying about the toll on his body. Emmanuel Ulelu, who attended twice, said he saw a marked fall in energy. The next step is submission and review of the evidence.