Hundreds of young dancers in white tutus and tightly coiffed hair gathered in New York’s Plaza Hotel on Wednesday to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one place. This event was organized by Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary with three nights of performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The dancers in attendance ranged from students aged 9 to 19 competing for scholarships to professional dancers who were alumni of the program.
To the tune of Tchaikovsky’s music, the ballerinas gracefully stood on tiptoes and shifted their weight rapidly from one foot to the other, performing a step called bourrée for a full minute. Tina Shi, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, was present to announce the results of their attempt. Excitement filled the room as she declared, “353, that is a new Guinness world record! Congratulations!”
The New York-based Youth America Grand Prix has been operating the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition since 1999. Their previous record for ballerinas on pointe en masse was 306. This achievement marked a significant milestone in the program’s history, showcasing the dedication and talent of the dancers who participated in this record-breaking event.