Nigerian dancer Ben Daniel completes 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos

Nigerian dancer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as Ben Dancer, has concluded a seven-day attempt to set a new world record for the longest individual dance marathon, dancing continuously for 168 hours in Lagos.

Daniel, 33, began the attempt on September 22. He was aiming to surpass the existing record of 127 hours, set in 2023 by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap, who was 16 at the time.

Guinness World Records has not yet confirmed whether the performance qualifies as an official record. The organisation's verification process can take time after an attempt, and the final outcome depends on whether all rules were followed.

Supporters gathered at Freedom Park throughout the week, cheering Daniel on, recording his performance and joining in from behind barriers.

"The idea of the Guinness World Record was never for the Guinness World Record itself. It was to get the global attention of the people to look more into African indigenous dancers," Daniel said. "We have to address the business, which is the business aspect of the craft, and also the educational aspect."

He added that the attempt was also about demonstrating what Africans can achieve together. "It places me at a position where I become a global cultural ambassador that speaks about Africa and her cultures globally," he said.

Sarah Lawal, a former dancer who came to support him, said the attempt carried significance for the wider dance community. "It's a push for the incoming dancers. It's still a push for us that have danced back in the years," she said, noting that the landscape has changed with platforms such as TikTok. "It just needs to let people know that we are there. We never quit."

Another supporter, Adedoyin Olorunshola, said the effort deserved broad backing. "We want to show the world that we are the best. Ben has proved himself as a wonderful human being," Olorunshola said.

Tope Mark-Odigie highlighted the difficulty of sustaining a performance over seven days. "It's a different thing to break a record in one day. It's a different thing to say you do it for seven days plus, which is what Ben Dance did," Mark-Odigie said. "He's talking about humanity. He's talking about goal setting. He's talking about perseverance. He's talking about dedication to a goal."

For much of the marathon, Daniel's team said he drew on Nigeria's diverse musical and cultural traditions. Afrobeats featured prominently, alongside genres including fuji, jazz and zouk. At times, he changed from dancewear into traditional Nigerian clothing.

Before the attempt, Daniel said he had trained for more than two years, undergoing intensive fitness work, changing his diet and focusing on carbohydrates and cardiovascular conditioning. A medical team was on hand to assist when needed.

His completion of the 168-hour attempt now awaits official verification by Guinness World Records.