Breaking Ballet Records

August 2 was a perfect summer day in NYC’s Central Park: sunny, warm—and filled with pointe shoe–clad dancers. The reason for the abundance of ballerinas? To break the Guinness World Record for Most Ballerinas Standing On Pointe at a Single Time.

The project, organized by renowned dance photographer Gene Schiavone (you’ve seen his photos countless times in DS) and hosted by American Ballet Theatre’s Michele Wiles and Craig Salstein, was a success. After word spread on Facebook, 230 dancers turned out—literally!—at the Central Park Bandshell and stood on pointe for one minute, breaking the previous record of 220 dancers (set last year at the Youth America Grand Prix at New York City Center).

For Schiavone, the day wasn’t just about setting a new record. “It was encouraging having all these people out celebrating ballet,” he says. “The park was filled with like-minded people having fun.”

Photo of ballet dancers in Central Park by Gene Schiavone.