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{{Infobox person
|name = Tamsier Joof
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name = Tamsier Joof
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|5|17|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Kensal Green|Kensal Rise]], ([[London]])
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death_cause =
|education = London Studio Centre; [[Middlesex University]]; [[University of Wolverhampton]]
|other_names =
|employer =
|occupation = [[Dancer]], [[Choreographer]], [[Actor]], [[Model (people)|Model]] and [[Entrepreneurship|Entrepreneur]]
|years_active = 1989/1990–present
|parents =
|spouse =
|children =
|status =
|height =
|relatives =
|nationality = [[British nationality law|British]]
|ethnicity = [[Serer people|Seereer]]
|website = [http://www.seereer.com/ SRC website]
|known_for =
|awards =
}}
'''Tamsier Joof''' (17 May 1973<ref name=Comet>The Comet Newspaper (Stevenage) interview : "This is it", August 23, 2001, p. 21</ref><ref name=WestAfrica>[[West Africa (magazine)|West Africa Magazine]] : "Senegambian taking the dance world by storm" - June 5, 1995, p. 4</ref><ref>Tamsier's director profile in Find the company [http://directors.findthecompany.co.uk/l/4894666/Tamsier-Joof] - retrieved March 27, 2015</ref>) (other [[stage name]] : '''Tam Jo'''<ref name=WestAfrica />) is an [[England|English]] [[dance|dancer]], [[Choreography|choreographer]], [[actor]], [[Model (people)|model]] and [[Entrepreneurship|entrepreneur]] from a [[Senegal|Senegalese]] and [[The Gambia|Gambian]] background. As well as appearing in several [[Musical theatre|musicals]], and as stage backing dancer for [[Mary Kiani]], [[Take That]] and [[Janet Jackson]],<ref name=WestAfrica /><ref name=Metro>[[Metro (British newspaper)|London Metro]] : Review of "Consecrated Love" (and interview of choreographers) - August 7, 1999, p. 57</ref><ref name=Wiz>The cast, Flymonkey Producions : "The Wiz" (2000 & 2001) at [[Hackney Empire]]. Review of this show can be found in the [[London Evening Standard]] - May 11, 2001 [http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/the-wiz-7434643.html]</ref> he was also known within the London [[Vogue (dance)|voguing]] scene during the 1990s and is among the original London vogue dancers of that era.<ref name=Face>The Face Magazine, July Issue, 1991, p. 10</ref><ref name=Biz>[[Bizarre (magazine)|Bizarre Magazine]], April 1997 Issue, p. 15</ref>
'''Tamsier Joof''' (17 May 1973<ref name=Comet>The Comet Newspaper (Stevenage) interview : "This is it", August 23, 2001, p. 21</ref><ref name=WestAfrica>[[West Africa (magazine)|West Africa Magazine]] : "Senegambian taking the dance world by storm" - June 5, 1995, p. 4</ref><ref>Tamsier's director profile in Find the company [http://directors.findthecompany.co.uk/l/4894666/Tamsier-Joof] - retrieved March 27, 2015</ref>) (other [[stage name]] : '''Tam Jo'''<ref name=WestAfrica />) is an [[England|English]] [[dance|dancer]], [[Choreography|choreographer]], [[actor]], [[Model (people)|model]] and [[Entrepreneurship|entrepreneur]] from a [[Senegal|Senegalese]] and [[The Gambia|Gambian]] background. As well as appearing in several [[Musical theatre|musicals]], and as stage backing dancer for [[Mary Kiani]], [[Take That]] and [[Janet Jackson]],<ref name=WestAfrica /><ref name=Metro>[[Metro (British newspaper)|London Metro]] : Review of "Consecrated Love" (and interview of choreographers) - August 7, 1999, p. 57</ref><ref name=Wiz>The cast, Flymonkey Producions : "The Wiz" (2000 & 2001) at [[Hackney Empire]]. Review of this show can be found in the [[London Evening Standard]] - May 11, 2001 [http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/the-wiz-7434643.html]</ref> he was also known within the London [[Vogue (dance)|voguing]] scene during the 1990s and is among the original London vogue dancers of that era.<ref name=Face>The Face Magazine, July Issue, 1991, p. 10</ref><ref name=Biz>[[Bizarre (magazine)|Bizarre Magazine]], April 1997 Issue, p. 15</ref>


Revision as of 19:51, 29 March 2015

Tamsier Joof
Born
Tamsier Joof

(1973-05-17) 17 May 1973 (age 51)
Kensal Rise, (London)
NationalityBritish
EducationLondon Studio Centre; Middlesex University; University of Wolverhampton
Occupation(s)Dancer, Choreographer, Actor, Model and Entrepreneur
Years active1989/1990–present
WebsiteSRC website

Tamsier Joof (17 May 1973[1][2][3]) (other stage name : Tam Jo[2]) is an English dancer, choreographer, actor, model and entrepreneur from a Senegalese and Gambian background. As well as appearing in several musicals, and as stage backing dancer for Mary Kiani, Take That and Janet Jackson,[2][4][5] he was also known within the London voguing scene during the 1990s and is among the original London vogue dancers of that era.[6][7]

Early life and education

Tam was born in North West London (Kensal Rise) into a Senegalese-Gambian family.[2] His late father was a renowned Gambian barrister and solicitor[8], and his mother a business woman.[2] Tam left the UK when he was two years old after his father decided to move his family back to the Gambia and establish his chambers in that country.[2][8] Tam returned back to the UK couple of years later to pursue his education. In an interview with West Africa Magazine, Tam said: "Coming from an African family where education is everything, I felt I needed to please both my parents and myself. I love dance and hated accounting, but accounting provided respectability in African circles so I studied both."[2]

Tam studied classical ballet, jazz, African, contemporary, Latin, tap and labanotation.[2][1] He attended Middlesex University, the University of Wolverhampton and the London Studio Centre and holds an Accounting and Finance Honours Degree, a PGCE and a Performing Arts Dance Degree.[4][2][9] As of 2006, he was a non-active qualified teacher and an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the International Dance Teachers Association.[10][11] Tam also took additional classes at London's Pineapple Dance Studios and Danceworks in various dance styles including break dancing; commercial jazz with the late Nicky Bentley (one of the earlier dance teachers at Pineapple Dance Studios[12][13]) and with choreographer Shanie, whom he describes as influencing his commercial funk and jazz style.[2] He also studied popping and street locking with Jimmy Williams - one of the early UK street lockers, and attended workshops with internationally renowned guest choreographers like Bryant Baldwin (USA) and Mauro Mosconi (Italy).[2][4]

Career

Dance

Tam worked as a stage backing dancer for Mary Kiani, Kym Mazelle, Jocelyn Brown, Martha Wash, MN8, Take That, Honeyz, Impact Dance Productions (UK, Sadler's Wells) and also appeared on Janet Jackson's 1995 World Tour at Wembley Arena (London leg of the tour, small portion).[2][4][5] Some of his musical theatre work include Starlight Express, Fame, Rent, Hot Mikado and The Wiz.[4][5][14][1] Choreographic work include "Consecrated Love" for the Yozo Fass Dance Theatre Company (which he co-choreographed with Michel Wallace and performed in),[4] "Dance Fusion" for the Choreographers Ball (London), and "Our Town Story" for East London (London Borough of Hackney) with Ujamaa Arts, supported by McDonald's for the year 2000 Millennium Dome Show.[15]

Along with his experience in mainstream dance genres such as jazz and ballet, Tam was also involved in the underground London vogue scene during the late 1980s or early 1990s.[6] By the early to late 1990s, Tam was one of the most recognisable voguers within the London underground scene and appeared or worked extensively in several London clubs as a podium dancer / voguer including Heaven Nightclub, Equinox, The Tube, Lowdown, Trade, Vox and Busby's.[6][7][2] It was whilst working as a dancer at Heaven that Tam met the legendary Jean Michel who will become one of his closest friends and vogue mentor. The two regularly frequented the London club scene giving performances and engaging in vogue battles with other London voguers.[2]

In 1997 whilst working for Heaven Nightclub's host and performer — Miss Kimberley as a backing voguer, Tam was interviewed and photographed by the alternative culture magazine Bizarre. Tam's "interesting look and voguing talent" made him a prime candidate for an interview.[7] Tam credited his old friend and mentor Jean Michel for teaching him the foundations of voguing and for mentoring him, as well as watching legendary U.S. voguers like Willi Ninja and Hector Xtravaganza. As a regular user of Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden and Danceworks in Bond Street, Tam encouraged his mentor to run vogue classes in these studios. When Jean Michel was finally given a spot at Danceworks, Tam helped spread the word among his dancer friends "some of whom have had no exposure to real voguing other than what they've seen on Madonna's 1990 Vogue video." Tam regularly attended the class and supported his mentor.[7]

Tam was also a dance teacher and lecturer, teaching jazz, ballet and contemporary. He taught at Carol Straker Dance School in London, Wood Green High School College of Sports, the University of Birmingham and the London Guildhall University.[16][17][1][18] Tam ran workshops in various inner city schools in London and the West Midlands. He was a dance coach/consultant for Sandwell and Dudley Borough Council in partnership with the region's development agency (Advantage West Midlands) and ran dance workshops throughout the West Midlands and also taught the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's GCSE and A-level dance syllabi at various schools in the region including the A-level labanotation syllabus.[19] He also taught advance/professional jazz at various dance studios including Adage Dance Studios in Harborne (Birmingham).

Tam retired from professional dancing (on-and-off) in 2001 to pursue other business ventures, taking only non-lengthy dance contracts or teaching.[1] In March 2015, Tam came out of retirement to appear on FKA twigs music video "Glass & Patron" as a vogue dancer.[20] The video was officially released on FKA twigs YouTube channel on Monday, March 23, 2015.[20]

Acting and modelling

Tam did some acting and modelling during his career working with artistic directors like Michel Wallace (the French choreographer and artistic director of the Yozo Fass Dance Theatre Company) and Paa C Quaye (the Ghanaian actor—director and artistic director of Ujamaa Arts).[4] Tam appeared as background actor in the 2002 drama Dirty Pretty Things directed by Stephen Frears and starring Audrey Tautou;[18] and in the 2003 comedy Love Actually, directed by Richard Curtis and starring Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth.[18] He was also film, television and theatre costume model for Academy Costumes and one of his major modelling job was modelling the costumes of the Tomb Raider 2 film directed by Jan de Bont and starring Angelina Jolie.[18]

Entrepreneur

Tam was a former director of Bluewings Employment Security & Training Limited and Blue Light Training Services Limited[21] both of which he resigned from[22][23] and now runs his own businesses.[23] He is an investor in African businesses start-ups seeking capital through MYC4.[24] Tam was also the founder of the Seereer Resource Centre, an organisation he conceived in 2008 to help preserve and promote Seereer culture. He is a member of that ethic group.[23]

References

[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e The Comet Newspaper (Stevenage) interview : "This is it", August 23, 2001, p. 21
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n West Africa Magazine : "Senegambian taking the dance world by storm" - June 5, 1995, p. 4
  3. ^ Tamsier's director profile in Find the company [2] - retrieved March 27, 2015
  4. ^ a b c d e f g London Metro : Review of "Consecrated Love" (and interview of choreographers) - August 7, 1999, p. 57
  5. ^ a b c The cast, Flymonkey Producions : "The Wiz" (2000 & 2001) at Hackney Empire. Review of this show can be found in the London Evening Standard - May 11, 2001 [3]
  6. ^ a b c The Face Magazine, July Issue, 1991, p. 10
  7. ^ a b c d Bizarre Magazine, April 1997 Issue, p. 15
  8. ^ a b The Nation Newspaper (Gambia) : "Champion of free speech (Tribute)", by William Dixon Colley, June 7, 1993
  9. ^ Middlesex University Records - adm (1996)
  10. ^ I.S.T.D : List of non-active Associates (2006)
  11. ^ I.D.T.A. : Non-active Associates (2006)
  12. ^ "Nicky Bentley obituary" in The Guardian - (retrieved March 27, 2015) [4]
  13. ^ "Woman who helped the stars dance dies at 48" [in] The Camden New Journal "West End Extra" by Jamie Welham. Published: 16 October 2009 - (retrieved March 27, 2015) [5]
  14. ^ The Cast : "Hot Mikado", The Gordon Craig Theatre in association with Josef Weinbeger (August 2001). Reviews in The Comet Newspaper (Stevenage) August 16, 2001, p. 45
  15. ^ The Hackney Gazette's review of our "Our Town Story" (East London, Hackney's entry) - January 5, 2000, p. 3
  16. ^ London Guildhall University "Academic Staff" (bio) (1999)
  17. ^ Carol Straker Dance School prospectus : "Biography of teachers" (2000)
  18. ^ a b c d The Casting Collective artist biography : "Tamsier Joof" (2000—2003)
  19. ^ Advantage West Midlands Newsletter, May 2004, p.17
  20. ^ a b "FKA twigs -­ Glass & Patron (Official Music Video­ YTMAs)". Tamsier credited as a dancer [6]
  21. ^ Tamsier's director profile in Duedil [7] - retrieved March 27, 2015
  22. ^ Tamsier's director profile in Company Director Check
  23. ^ a b c The Seereer Resource Centre's website - "The team" [8] - retrieved March 29. 2015
  24. ^ Tamsier's investor profile in MYC4 [9] - retrieved March 27, 2015
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