Hundreds of young dancers in white tutus and tightly coiffed hair gathered at the Plaza Hotel in New York to break the world record for dancing on pointe in one place. The event was organized by Youth America Grand Prix, a ballet scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary with three nights of performances at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The dancers ranged in ages from 9 to 19, with students competing for scholarships and professional dancers who were program alumni coming together for the occasion.

Accompanied by Tchaikovsky music, the ballerinas stood on their toes and gracefully shifted their weight from one foot to the other in a step known as bourrée for a full minute. Tina Shi, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, proudly announced the official count of 353 dancers in unison, establishing a new Guinness world record. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 306 ballerinas on pointe en masse.

Youth America Grand Prix, based in New York, has been hosting the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition since 1999. The event brings together aspiring young dancers from around the world to showcase their talents and compete for scholarships. The program also serves as a platform for professional dancers who have been through the program to give back and support the next generation of ballet dancers.