Monday, January 10, 2011
Longest dance marathon: Kalamandalam Hemletha set world record
THRISSUR, Kerala, India -- Kalamandalam Hemaletha, 37, danced continuously for 123 hours and 15 minutes the Mohiniyattam, one of the eight Indian classical dance forms, a solo recital by women - setting the new world record for the Longest dance marathon by an individual.
Hemaletha, who now runs a dance school near her home, said she danced "to earn a rightful place" for the native dance form."
She practiced an Indian classical dance for 10 hours a day and ran for 28 miles (45 kilometers) to build her stamina. Then she danced and danced and danced some more.
Guinness World Records officials confirmed the record.
The Mohiniyattam is one of eight classical dance forms in India, a solo recital by women.
The previous Guinness world record for the longest dance marathon by an individual was 108 hours achieved by Dr Vattikotta Yadagiriacharya (India) at the Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium, Hyderabad, India.
Guinness World Records also recognized The longest dance marathon by a couple, performed by Francisco Petatán-Garcia and Joana Salinas-Aviles (both Mexico), who continuously danced for 35 hours in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.
The world "Mohini" means 'a woman who enchants onlookers' and "aattam" means 'graceful and sensuous body movements'.
Roughly translated, it means "dance of the enchantress" and features a number of gestural expressions by the hand, palm and fingers.
The traditional Mohiniyattam dance costume includes a white sari embroidered with bright golden brocade (known as kasavu) at the edges.
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