In New York’s Plaza Hotel, hundreds of young dancers dressed in white tutus and with perfectly styled hair came together to attempt to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one location. This event took place on April 17, 2024, and was organized by the Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The dancers, ranging in age from 9 to 19, were both students competing for scholarships and professional dancers who were alumni of the program. The event was a part of three nights of performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. As Tchaikovsky music played, the ballerinas skillfully performed bourrée, shifting their weight rapidly from one foot to the other while standing on their tiptoes for a full minute.
After the performance, Tina Shi, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, announced that the dancers had successfully broken the previous world record. The previous record was set at 306 ballerinas on pointe en masse, and the dancers at the Plaza Hotel had surpassed that number with 353 participants.
The Youth America Grand Prix has been operating the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition since 1999. This event was not only a celebration of the program’s anniversary but also a testament to the talent and dedication of the young dancers who participated.