Nigerian dancer Bendancer attempts 168-hour Guinness record, keeps moving for 7 days without giving up

• Nigerian dancer and choreographer Bendancer has started a 168-hour dance marathon at Freedom Park, Lagos, in a bid to break a Guinness World Record.

• The 33-year-old hopes to beat the current record of 127 hours held by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap.

• Bendancer has used Nigerian dance styles, Afrobeats, fuji and other genres throughout the seven-day challenge to celebrate African culture.

• Guinness World Records is yet to confirm the attempt as official, as evidence from the challenge must first be reviewed.

While many Nigerians are already tired after a long day of work, one Nigerian man has decided to spend an entire week dancing — and he is doing it in the hope of making history.

Nigerian contemporary dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, popularly known as Bendancer, is currently on the final stretch of his 168-hour dance marathon attempt in Lagos as he battles to break the Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual.

The 33-year-old started the unusual endurance challenge at Freedom Park, Lagos, on September 21, and is expected to complete the seven-day dance marathon on Tuesday, September 29.

If successful, Bendancer’s 168-hour target will surpass the current published record of 127 hours, achieved by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.

The challenge has attracted attention from Nigerians, with supporters trooping to Freedom Park to cheer him on. Videos from the marathon have also continued to spread across social media, leaving many people amazed at his stamina.

READ ALSO: Family of 19-year-old who shared defamatory post about Tony Elumelu’s wife begs for forgiveness after weeks in detention

Bendancer is not just someone who woke up and decided to dance for seven days. The Nigerian dancer has spent about 18 years building a career in the creative industry.

He works as a dancer, choreographer, creative director, dance consultant, model and fitness instructor.

He is also the founder of Bendancer Academy International, an organisation focused on training and developing upcoming dancers.

Before starting the academy, Gabriel served as the North-East Zonal Dance Coordinator for the Dance Guild of Nigeria, where he contributed to dance development and mentorship.

He has also performed with Made Kuti and The Movement, reportedly becoming the first and only male dancer to perform within the Kuti family’s performance tradition at the New Afrika Shrine.

His career highlights include performances at Felabration, the 2021 Big Brother Naija finale, Trophy Shout International Festival, Global Citizenship and Project Asia.

For Bendancer, the marathon is not only about adding his name to the Guinness World Records list.

The dancer is using the challenge to showcase Nigerian culture and the diversity of African dance.

During the performance, he has incorporated different dance styles and music genres, including Afrobeats, fuji, jazz and zouk. At different points, he also performed in traditional Nigerian outfits like agbada and dashiki.

His team said the idea was to represent Nigeria’s different cultures through movement and music.

READ ALSO: Bello El-Rufai thanks Peter Obi for checking on his detained father despite previously criticising him

A 168-hour dance challenge sounds almost impossible, but Guinness World Records marathon rules allow participants to take short breaks during the attempt.

According to the rules, participants are allowed five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity. These rest periods can also be saved and used together.

Bendancer has reportedly been taking his permitted rest breaks in blocks while maintaining a light diet and staying hydrated.

A medical team has also been present at Freedom Park to monitor him throughout the challenge.

As the marathon entered its final hours, supporters, entertainers and guests continued showing up to encourage him, turning the event into a major public spectacle.

However, despite completing the challenge, Bendancer’s record will not become official immediately. Guinness World Records will still need to review the evidence and documentation from the attempt before confirming whether he has broken the record.

For now, the Nigerian dancer remains on the floor, chasing a historic achievement one move at a time.