Tamsier Joof Aviance

Tamsier Joof Aviance (né. Tamsier Joof) is a professional dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, actor, model, author, and radio presenter. He was trained in classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, African, Latin, tap, and Labanotation before taking up voguing in his late teens. He was among the earliest voguers in London during the late 1980s - early 1990s and has been involved in the entertainment industry for over three decades (as of 2023). He is a member of the House of Aviance, one of the major ballroom and voguing houses founded in U.S. in the 1980s. Born in London (England) to a Senegalese-Gambian family, Tamsier attended the Middlesex University, the University of Wolverhampton, and the London Studio Centre and holds an Accounting and Finance degree, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and a Performing Arts Dance degree. He is also an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the International Dance Teachers Association. Tamsier has worked with artists like Janet Jackson, Mary Kiani, Take That, Martha Wash, Kym Mazelle and Jocelyn Brown. Some of his theatre work include Hot Mikado, The Wiz, Starlight Express, Rent, and Fame. Tamsier has also appeared in films such as Dirty Pretty Things (2002) (himself - airport passenger), Love Actually (2003) (himself - audience member), and Wicked (2024) (parts 1 and 2) as a dancer, singer and salon owner. He used to model for Academy Costumes - modelling the costumes for films, television and theatre productions. He was the model for the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) costumes starring Angelina Jolie, Djimon Hounsou and Gerard Butler. Along with his involvement in the entertainment industry spanning over three decades, Tamsier is also an entrepreneur, investor, radio personality, and an ardent promoter of Seereer artists, music, and culture. The Seereer are a West African ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. Tamsier is a member of that ethnic group. He is also the founder of the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC), Seereer Radio, Seereer Heritage (the record label), and Seereer Heritage Press (the SRC's imprint and publishing house). The SRC and Seereer Radio are major sponsors of Seereer cultural events and shows in Senegal and the Gambia. Over the years, they have sponsored and promoted numerous Seereer artists' concerts throughout the Senegambia region, as well as Seereer cultural events organised by the King of Siin (Niokhobaye Diouf) and King of Saluum (Cherno Ndao). Tamsier is a relative of both of them.