Tamsier Joof Aviance facts for kids

Tamsier Joof Aviance (born 17 May 1973), also known as Tamsier Aviance, is a British dancer, choreographer, actor, model, and radio presenter. He is also an entrepreneur and author. He added "Aviance" to his name after joining the House of Aviance, a famous group in the United States known for a dance style called vogue. Tamsier has performed in many musicals and danced for stars like Janet Jackson. He was also a well-known dancer in London's vogue scene in the 1990s.

Early life and education

Tamsier Joof was born in North West London, England. His family came from Senegal and The Gambia. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a businesswoman. When Tamsier was two, his family moved to The Gambia. He later returned to the UK for his education.

Tamsier studied many dance styles, including classical ballet, jazz, African, and contemporary. He went to Middlesex University, the University of Wolverhampton, and the London Studio Centre. He earned degrees in Accounting and Finance, and Performing Arts Dance. He also took extra dance classes at famous studios in London.

Career

Dance and choreography

Tamsier worked as a backing dancer for several music artists, including Mary Kiani, Take That, and Janet Jackson. He performed with Janet Jackson during her 1995 World Tour in London. He also appeared in musical theatre shows like Starlight Express, Fame, and The Wiz.

Tamsier was also a big part of London's underground vogue dance scene in the 1990s. He was known for his "New Way" vogue style. He performed in many London clubs, including Heaven Nightclub. He met Jean Michel, who became his friend and mentor in vogue dancing. Tamsier helped Jean Michel start vogue classes at popular dance studios in London.

Teaching dance

Tamsier also worked as a dance teacher and lecturer. He taught jazz, ballet, and contemporary dance at various schools and universities in London and the Midlands. He also led dance workshops in many schools.

Retirement and comeback

Tamsier stopped professional dancing on and off in 2001 to focus on other projects. However, in March 2015, he returned to dance. He appeared as a vogue dancer in the music video for "Glass & Patron" by FKA twigs.

Acting and modelling

Tamsier has also worked as an actor and model. He appeared as a background actor in films like Dirty Pretty Things (2002) and Love Actually (2003). He also appeared in the 2024 musical fantasy film Wicked and Wicked: For Good (2025) as an Emerald City dancer. He also modeled costumes for films, including Tomb Raider 2.

Entrepreneur and radio broadcasting

Tamsier Joof Aviance is involved in several businesses. He is an investor in African businesses. He also founded the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) in 2008. This organization works to protect and promote the Seereer culture, which is his own ethnic group. He has co-authored books to help people learn the Seereer languages.

Tamsier also started Seereer Radio, which broadcasts 24/7 for the Seereer and Senegambian community. He is a main presenter on the Cosaan Seereer Show, a weekly cultural program. He also founded Seereer Heritage record label.

Tamsier has been a strong voice against the former President Yahya Jammeh's government in The Gambia. He often spoke out against the government's actions on Seereer Radio. He visited The Gambia many times to report on the country's political situation for his radio station. He covered important events like the trial of lawyer Ousainou Darboe and the 2016 Gambian presidential election. He was one of the few radio presenters living outside The Gambia who openly criticized the government but still entered the country. He even interviewed President-Elect Adama Barrow face-to-face in The Gambia in 2016.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tamsier organized a fundraiser to help Seereer artists in Senegal and Gambia. These artists were struggling financially because they could not work. His organizations, the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio, raised a lot of money and food to help them. This was the first time a Senegambian media group had raised money for the Seereer artistic community.

His organizations also sponsored important cultural events, like the fourth anniversary of the current King of Sine in February 2022. They also supported the annual Gamo Kahone festival for the current King of Saloum in 2022. Tamsier is related to both of these Kings. He also created and produced a successful music project called Ceereer ne ino mbogun, featuring many Seereer artists from Senegal.

Filmography

See also

• List of dancers