DP World deepens Nigerian trade with TGI Logistics partnership

Nigerian contemporary dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, widely known as Bendancer, has been engaged in a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos, aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the longest dance marathon by an individual. The 33-year-old commenced his endurance challenge at Freedom Park on September 21, and is anticipated to complete the 168-hour goal early on Tuesday, September 29.

If successful, Bendancer's feat would surpass the existing record of 127 hours, established by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023. The endeavor has drawn crowds to Freedom Park, with young Nigerians cheering him on, and the event's videos garnering widespread attention on social media.

Bendancer has spent 18 years as a professional dancer, working in various capacities such as choreography, creative direction, dance consultancy, modelling, and fitness instruction. He is the founder of Bendancer Academy International, an organization dedicated to training, mentoring, and developing emerging dancers. Before founding the academy, Gabriel served as the North-East Zonal Dance Coordinator for the Dance Guild of Nigeria, focusing on dance development and talent mentoring.

He also joined Made Kuti and The Movement, becoming the first male dancer to perform within the Kuti family's performance tradition at the New Afrika Shrine.

The challenge, while primarily focused on breaking a record, also aims to promote Nigerian and African dance. Throughout the marathon, Bendancer has incorporated diverse Nigerian dance traditions and music genres, including Afrobeats, fuji, jazz, and zouk, occasionally donning traditional attire like agbada and dashiki. His team emphasizes that the performance reflects Nigeria's cultural diversity.

To manage the seven-day dance marathon, Bendancer utilizes the permitted five-minute rest periods for every continuous hour of activity, accumulating unused rest time. A medical team has been present at Freedom Park to monitor his well-being. While Bendancer aims to surpass Jagtap's 127-hour record with a 168-hour target, Guinness World Records has yet to confirm whether his attempt qualifies as an official record.

The organization will assess the evidence from the challenge before making a determination. For now, Bendancer remains on the dance floor in Lagos, nearing the end of the seven-day challenge and eagerly awaiting confirmation on whether he will secure a place in the Guinness World Records.