Maguette Camara is a globally recognized West African dancer, choreographer, teacher and drummer who is based in New York City. 

 

Maguette began his career at a young age with The Ballet Bougarabou Dance Company in Dakar, Senegal. His extensive experiences with this company allowed him to perform and present workshops in Morocco, Canada, Senegal, South Korea, Guadeloupe and the United States.

 

 His dedication and talent have earned him the opportunity to perform in impressive venues such as the Guggenheim Museum, The American Museum of Natural History, Museum for African Art NYC, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Rolling Stones World Tour, Epcot Theme Park at Walt Disney World, The World Trade Center Jazz Festival, the Broadway Performance Angelique, Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, Ailey Move NYC in Bryant Park and Times Square, and the opening act for Senegalese vocalist, Baaba Maal. Maguette also was a featured choreographer and dancer at the Newport Jazz Festival, “A Bridge Together”, an International Music and Dance event. In 2023, Maguette choreographed and lead a group of adult Ailey Extension students in a West African drum and dance performance during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ailey Spirit Gala held at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

 

Maguette’s talents have been praised by The New York Times, The Root TV, Dance Teacher Magazine, The New York Public Library, PIX11 News, The Villager, Good Day New York, New York 1 News, Fox 5, NBC and MTV. Maguette’s unique pedagogical approach has earned accolades in Dance Teacher Magazine, May 2016, “How I teach West African”; and in broadcast, Positively Black on NBC New York, an interview in which he discusses his teaching as a way of showcasing West African culture by creating a community through dance. In 2022, Maguette’s talent was recognized by the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) when he was honored with the award for “Outstanding Established Dance Education in the Independent Sector”. 

 

Maguette has been a faculty member at The Ailey School and Barnard College since 1997. He was one one of the original teaching artists for the Ailey extension and continues to teach weekly open classes for all levels and all ages at The Ailey Studios and Djoniba at Peridance Capezio Center. Maguette's annual involvement as the West African dance instructor for the Ailey Experience NYC, offering immersive workshops for participants aged 9 and up, provides a platform for individuals to explore the captivating realm of choreography within a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere.

 

Maguette is known for his incredible energy and positive demeanor. Accompanied by live master drummers, Maguette’s high-spirited classes teach students of all backgrounds the rich legacy of traditional West African Dance. Maguette’s classes have enjoyed a devoted following at all skill levels. His in-person and remote classes continue to reach hundreds of participants from across the globe. 

 

Through his unwavering dedication to preserving the cultural heritage of West African dance and his infectious passion for teaching, Maguette Camara continues to inspire and empower students of all backgrounds, leaving an indelible mark on the vibrant dance community of New York City and beyond.

 

“If an educator shows passion for what they do, it can only draw students in,” said Katie Glasner, Assistant Chair and Senior Associate at The Department of Dance at Barnard College. “His absolute unbridled joy for what he does is simply infectious.”