UAE dancers attempt world record of 2,389 unique steps

Dubai. Some 340 UAE dancers aged between three and 60 burned the dance floor at the Cultural and Scientific Association on Saturday night in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for performing 2,389 unique dance moves in one show under one roof.

The dance concert called 2389 Moves featured beginner to advanced student performers of Step N Groove Dance Studios in 26 dances ranging from hip-hop to salsa and contemporary to jazz.

“We are not breaking any record. We are setting one. Some of the dance steps are already being used by dancers but incorporating two to four dance steps to make a unique dance move with its own name, which we ourselves gave, that’s something that’s unique to this attempt,” Suresh Kumar, artistic director at Step N Groove, told Gulf News.

To set the world record, each dance move executed during the concert will be numbered and photographed. All the photographs will be compiled and catalogued in a special book and sent to the Guinness World Record for adjudication.

Kumar said it would take about one-and-a-half months to finish the book and another six to eight weeks to learn if they had indeed set a world record.

“This world record is significant as it will be a benchmark for us. We have done a lot of homework, gained so much knowledge in inventing dance moves, and so we would like to be able to see all of them performed onstage tonight,” Kumar said.

The concert was made even more special with the guest performance of Phillip “Pacman” Chbeeb, champion of America’s Best Dance Crew, finalist in So You Think You Can Dance and actor in the movie Step Up Revolution.

Before the show, Chbeeb told the dancers, most of whom were aged between three and 12, that dancing and performing onstage is not about competition but about leaving an impression. When asked for advice for aspiring dancers on how to make it big in the industry, Chbeeb said it is best to focus on a dancer’s individuality.

“The key is finding one aspect of you as a dancer that makes you unique. If a dancer can tap into that part of himself, and showcase his unique identity on the dance floor, that can help him excel in the industry,” Chbeeb said.

The concert, which took six months of preparation to complete, was held for the benefit of the Dubai Autism Centre.