Tamsier Joof Aviance facts for kids

Tamsier Joof Aviance (born Tamsier Joof on 17 May 1973) is a British dancer, choreographer, actor, model, and radio presenter. He is also an entrepreneur and author. He uses the name "Aviance" because he joined the House of Aviance. This is a famous group in the United States known for a dance style called vogue.

Tamsier has performed in many musicals. He has also been a backing dancer for famous artists like Mary Kiani, Take That, and Janet Jackson. In the 1990s, he was well-known in London's vogue dance scene. He is considered one of the first vogue dancers from that time in London.

Early Life and Schooling

Tamsier was born in North West London, in an area called Kensal Rise. His family came from Senegal and The Gambia. His father was a lawyer in The Gambia. His mother was a businesswoman.

When Tamsier was two, his family moved back to The Gambia. His father wanted to open his law office there. A few years later, Tamsier returned to the UK for his education.

In an interview, Tamsier explained his choices. He said, "My family believed education was very important. I wanted to make both my parents and myself happy. I loved dance, but studying accounting was seen as a respected career in African communities. So, I studied both."

Tamsier learned many dance styles. These included classical ballet, jazz, African, contemporary, Latin, and tap. He also studied labanotation, which is a way to write down dance moves.

He went to Middlesex University and the University of Wolverhampton. He also studied at the London Studio Centre. Tamsier earned degrees in Accounting and Finance, and in Performing Arts Dance. He also has a teaching qualification (PGCE).

By 2006, he was a qualified teacher, though not actively teaching. He was also a member of important dance teaching societies. Tamsier took extra dance classes in London. He learned styles like breaking, commercial jazz, popping, and street locking. He also attended workshops with famous choreographers from around the world.

Dance and Performance Career

Dancing and Creating Dances

Tamsier worked as a backing dancer for many artists. These included Mary Kiani, Kym Mazelle, Jocelyn Brown, and Janet Jackson. He danced for Janet Jackson's 1995 World Tour in London. He also performed in musicals like Starlight Express, Fame, and The Wiz.

He also created dances for different groups. For example, he co-choreographed "Consecrated Love" for the Yozo Fass Dance Theatre Company. He also created "Dance Fusion" for the Choreographer's Ball in London.

Besides mainstream dance, Tamsier was part of London's underground vogue scene. This was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. By the mid-1990s, he was a well-known "New Way Voguer" in London. He often performed in London clubs. He worked as a podium dancer and voguer at places like Heaven Nightclub.

At Heaven, Tamsier met Jean Michel, who became his close friend and vogue mentor. They often performed and had "vogue battles" with other dancers.

In 1997, Tamsier was interviewed by Bizarre magazine. They were interested in his unique look and voguing skills. Tamsier gave credit to Jean Michel for teaching him vogue. He also learned by watching famous U.S. voguers like Willi Ninja. Tamsier helped Jean Michel start vogue classes at dance studios in London. He encouraged his dancer friends to join, even if they only knew vogue from Madonna's music video.

Teaching Dance

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

He also led dance workshops in many city schools. He helped local councils with dance programs. Tamsier taught dance for school exams like GCSE and A-level. He also taught advanced jazz classes at dance studios.

Taking a Break and Coming Back

Tamsier stopped professional dancing on and off in 2001. He wanted to focus on other business projects. He only took short dance jobs or teaching roles.

In March 2015, Tamsier returned to dance. He appeared in the music video for FKA twigs' song "Glass & Patron." He performed as a vogue dancer alongside other famous voguers. The video was released on YouTube in March 2015.

Acting and Modelling Work

Tamsier has also worked as an actor and model. He worked with directors like Michel Wallace and Paa C Quaye.

He appeared as a background actor in several films. These include the 2002 drama Dirty Pretty Things and the 2003 comedy Love Actually. He also appeared in the 2024 musical fantasy film Wicked and Wicked: For Good (2025). In these films, he played an Emerald City dancer and salon owner. He had played a similar role in earlier stage versions of The Wiz.

Tamsier also modeled costumes for films, TV, and theater. One of his biggest modeling jobs was for the costumes of the Tomb Raider 2 movie. This film starred Angelina Jolie.

Business and Radio Work

Tamsier used to be a director for some companies. Now, he runs his own businesses. He also invests in businesses in Africa. He helps them get money to start or grow.

Tamsier founded the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) in 2008. This group works to protect and share Seereer culture. Tamsier is a member of the Seereer ethnic group. He has also co-written a book called Learn to speak Saafi-Saafi: The complete language course. He also wrote the syllabus for Learn to speak the Seereer languages.

Tamsier also started Seereer Radio. This station broadcasts 24/7 for the Seereer and Senegambian community. Tamsier is a radio presenter there. He is the main host of the Cosaan Seereer Show, a weekly cultural program. He also appears on the Open Mic Show.

He also founded Seereer Heritage record label. This is part of Seereer Heritage Press, which is the publishing house for the SRC.

Tamsier is known for speaking out against the government of former President Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia. He often talks about political issues on Seereer Radio. He has reported on important events in The Gambia, like the 2016 presidential election. He is one of the few Gambian radio presenters living abroad who openly criticized the former government but still visited the country.

When asked if he feared for his safety, Tamsier said that his grandparents fought for The Gambia. He believes he has a strong connection to the country. He also said that a true Seereer person does not fear death. He has done investigative journalism, sharing information about the former government on the radio. He was also one of the few radio critics to interview President-Elect Adama Barrow in The Gambia. He interviewed him during his election campaign and after his victory in 2016.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tamsier helped raise money for Seereer artists in Senegal and The Gambia. These artists were struggling financially because they couldn't work. His organizations, the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio, raised over 1.5 million Senegalese CFA and food. This was the first time a Senegambian media group raised money for the Seereer artistic community.

Tamsier's organizations also sponsored events for the current King of Sine and the current King of Saloum. Tamsier is related to both kings. He also created and produced a single called Ceereer ne ino mbogun. This song featured twenty-four notable Seereer artists from Senegal. It was very popular on radio stations in Senegal and The Gambia.

Filmography

See also

• List of dancers