Nigerian dancer Gabriel, popularly known as Ben Dancer, has completed more than seven days of continuous dancing as he attempts to set a new world record for the longest individual dance marathon.
By Tuesday, the 32-year-old dancer, who performs with musician Made Kuti, had danced nonstop for 176 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds. The current record is 127 hours, set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023 when she was 16.
Gabriel’s attempt drew supporters to Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, where dozens of people sang and danced alongside him as he moved through different musical styles, including Afrobeats and Makossa.
His preparation began in 2022 and included gym workouts, endurance and pain training, as well as exercises designed to prepare him for sleep deprivation. Organizers became concerned three weeks before the attempt when he developed a knee problem, but a doctor who attended to him said he did not experience any major health complaints during the challenge.
Gabriel said the attempt was meant to show that people can achieve great things regardless of where they come from. His challenge comes amid growing interest in Nigeria in breaking and attempting world records, following the attention generated by chef Hilda Baci’s record-breaking cooking marathon in 2023.
