In New York City, on April 17, 2024, hundreds of young dancers dressed in white tutus and perfectly styled hair gathered at the Plaza Hotel to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one place. The event was organized by the Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary with performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
The group of dancers included students aged 9 to 19 competing for scholarships, as well as professional dancers who had previously participated in the program. As Tchaikovsky’s music played, the ballerinas gracefully balanced on their toes, executing bourrée steps by rapidly shifting their weight from one foot to the other for a full minute.
Tina Shi, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, announced the results: “353 that is a new Guinness world record! Congratulations!” This achievement surpassed the previous record of 306 ballerinas dancing en pointe set by the New York-based Youth America Grand Prix in 1999.
The dedication and talent of these young dancers highlighted the success of the program in nurturing and supporting aspiring ballet dancers over the years. The event was a testament to their hard work, training and passion in breaking boundaries and achieving remarkable accomplishments in the world of ballet.