NEW YORK (AP) – 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.
The spectacle was organised by Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship programme that is celebrating its 25th anniversary with three nights of performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
The dancers included students aged nine to 19 who are competing for scholarships as well as professional dancers who are alums of the programme.
Tchaikovsky music played as the ballerinas stood on tiptoes and switched their weight rapidly from one foot to the other – a step called bourrée – for a full minute.
Adjudicator for Guinness World Records Tina Shi announced the results, “353, that is a new Guinness world record! Congratulations!” The previous record for ballerinas on pointe en masse was 306.
