In the heart of New York, hundreds of young dancers in white tutus and meticulously styled hair gathered at the Plaza Hotel to attempt to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one place. Organized by Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), a ballet scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary with three nights of performances at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the event drew dancers ranging in ages from 9 to 19.
The ballerinas stood gracefully on their toes as they shifted their weight from one foot to the other in a step known as bourrée, accompanied by Tchaikovsky music. For a full minute, they maintained perfect unison, establishing a new Guinness world record with an official count of 353 dancers. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 306 ballerinas on pointe en masse.
YAGP, based in New York, has been hosting the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition since 1999. The program brings together aspiring young dancers from around the world to showcase their talents and compete for scholarships. Additionally, YAGP serves as a platform for professional dancers who have gone through the program to give back and support the next generation of ballet dancers.