16-year-old dances her way into Guinness World Records

While some people believe that dancing is a waste of time, an Indian teenager who recently set a Guinness World Record by dancing for five days straight considers dancing to be her greatest accomplishment.

Srushti Sudhir Jagtap, a 16-year-old student from India, danced for five days straight and broke the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the 'longest dance marathon by an individual' with a time of 127 hours.

The previous record was set by Nepalese dancer Bandana Nepal, who danced for 126 hours in 2018.

According to GWR Official Adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar, Shrusti’s dance marathon, which she performed in her college auditorium, was "jam packed with supporters."

"There were moments of her being too tired, but her parents were by her side all the time, spraying her face with water to keep her fresh," Swapnil said. "Very impressive performance overall."

According to Guinness World Records, Shrusti started her attempt on the morning of May 29 and continued it until the afternoon of June 3. She then slept for the entire day following her momentous accomplishment.

"I feel proud that I could give this great achievement to our country." Shrusti said.

She decided to beat the record by dancing Kathak, a recognised form of Indian classical dance that guarantees proper technique and footwork, to promote her nation. "I wanted to promote our Indian culture."

Shrusti trained for 15 months using Yoga Nidra, a guided meditation technique taught by her grandfather, to activate delta brainwaves, promote deep sleep, and restore the body. She practised four hours of meditation, six hours of dance, and three hours of exercise daily, aiming for five hours of sleep per night.

The newest world record-holder had already performed two 126-hour dance marathons at home, preparing for her official attempt without stimulants, and consumed coconut water and chocolate to stay fresh.

The final day of Shrusti’s record attempt was particularly hard for her. "My body was not responding," she said.

"All my body parts felt frozen and in pain. But mentally, I was focused on my goal. Due to strong practice, I was familiar with all the changes in my mind and body, so I was calm and composed until the end," she added.

Participants in such marathons receive five-minute rest breaks for every hour of activity, as per 'longest marathon' records. Shrusti took most rest breaks at midnight, napping or talking with her parents for brain refreshment. She credits her parents for their support.