Ballet dancers in pointe: Setting world record and spreading positivity through dance

The Plaza Hotel in New York recently hosted a Guinness World Record-breaking event that featured 353 ballerinas en pointe at the same time. The nonprofit organization Youth America Grand Prix, known for organizing competitions for young dancers, celebrated its 25th anniversary by gathering the ballerinas in white tutus at the hotel. During the event, all 353 ballerinas went en pointe, which is a ballet term for dancing on the toes, for a full minute.

Sergey Gordeev, the director of external affairs at YAGP, explained that the main goal of the event was to showcase the healing power of dance and highlight how it can bring people together during times of disconnection. Gordeev shared with Gothamist, “The big why of why we’re doing it is to really let the world know that dance is a healing force. Dance is a power that brings us connection at a time when we’re so disconnected.”

The attempt successfully broke the record for the most ballet dancers en pointe simultaneously, surpassing a 2019 event that featured 309 dancers, including talk show host Kelly Ripa. The event not only set a new world record but also emphasized the importance of dance as a unifying and uplifting art form that can bring people together in a positive way.