Riverdance is in the Guinness book of records after the largest performance ever of the Irish dancing phenomenon in Dublin.

More than 2,000 people from 163 dance schools in 44 countries formed the world’s biggest Riverdance troupe on Sunday.

The Irish Independent reports that they gathered in a snaking line along the banks of the River Liffey for the world record attempt.

The previous record of 652 people dancing in a continuous line was set in Nashville, Tennessee.
Irish dancers from as far away as Mexico, Uzbekistan and Japan took part in the Dublin performance, organized as part of The Gathering.

They were led by New Yorker Jean Butler who hit fame and fortune as the lead dancer in the first ever show of Riverdance in 1994.

Butler said: “I am delighted to have had the opportunity to celebrate The Gathering through Irish dance with thousands of people over the course of this weekend.

“Riverdance has played a big role in my life but it has also played a big part in bringing the joy of Irish dance and music to many people throughout the world.”

The report says exact number of dancers who lined the Liffey around the Samuel Beckett Bridge will be verified by Guinness World Records.

More than 2,800 dancers had registered to take part and the final tally for dancers in a line performing Riverdance was 1,693. The Guinness World Records rules state that for a new record to be set, the single line of dancers must perform continuously for five minutes.

A spokeswoman for the organisers told the paper more than 2,000 people were on the streets dancing but invigilators could only process the 1,693 in time for the record attempt.

She said: “We had to be off the bridge by 12.30pm, so that's as many as we got through the turnstiles and verified by Guinness World Records.”