In honor of its 25th anniversary, Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) organized a Guinness World Record-breaking event at New York’s famous Plaza Hotel. The nonprofit organization, known for hosting competitions for young dancers, gathered together 353 ballerinas in white tutus to break the record for the most ballet dancers en pointe simultaneously.
During the event, all 353 ballerinas went en pointe for a full minute, surpassing the previous record of 309 dancers from a 2019 event that included talk show host Kelly Ripa. Sergey Gordeev, the director of external affairs at YAGP, shared with Gothamist that the main goal of the event was to showcase the healing power of dance and bring people together during times of disconnection.
Gordeev explained that dance has the ability to unite and uplift people, despite their differences and backgrounds. He emphasized that this event was a reminder that dance can be a powerful force for good in today’s world. The success of this attempt not only set a new world record but also highlighted the importance of dance as an art form that can bring people together in a positive way.