Free West African Dance Class at the Whitney

Join the Whitney Museum and AILEY for a free outdoor dance class to celebrate Edges of Ailey. Led by a member of The Ailey School faculty and Ailey Extension instructor, Maguette Camara. Participants will immerse themselves in the rhythms of West African music and culture through live drumming. All ages are welcome!

Second Sundays at the Whitney are free but tickets are still required.

Instructors

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

Maguette began his career at a young age with The Ballet Bougarabou Dance Company in Dakar, Senegal. His extensive experience 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, 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” and the opening act for Senegalese vocalist, Baaba Maal. Maguette’s talents have been praised by The New York Times, The Root TV, Dance Teacher Magazine, The New York Public Library, The Villager, Good Day New York, New York 1 News, Fox 5, NBC, and MTV.  

Maguette has been a faculty member at The Ailey School and Barnard College since 1997. In addition, he teaches weekly open classes for all levels at Ailey Extension and Djoniba at Peridance Capezio Center. Camara is known for his incredible energy and positive demeanor. His New York City in-person classes have enjoyed a devoted following at all skill levels. 

Camara’s remote live classes are now reaching hundreds of participants from not just New York City, but across the globe from France, Germany, Israel, Canada, Australia, and more. 

“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. “[Maguette’s] absolute unbridled joy for what he does is simply infectious.”