Otlile " Oti" Mabuse (born 8 August 1990)
She is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020, and its German equivalent, Let's Dance.
Early life and education
Mabuse was born in
Pretoria,
and studied civil engineering at university
before embarking on a career in professional ballroom dancing. Her elder sister,
Motsi Mabuse, is also a professional ballroom dancer. Oti has participated in the German series
Let's Dance as a professional dancer, after which she joined Britain's
Strictly Come Dancing.
Dancing career
Mabuse won the South African Latin American Championship eight times, after which she moved to Germany to broaden her dancing horizons. She has earned a number of titles in her dancing career; including:
[
]
-
third place in World Cup Freestyle Latin in 2014,
-
second place European Championship Latin in 2014 and
-
first place in German Championship PD Freestyle Latin.
Let's Dance
In 2015, Mabuse appeared as a professional dancer on the eighth season of Let's Dance, the German version of Strictly Come Dancing.
She was partnered with singer Daniel Küblböck. The couple were eliminated in week 9, finishing in sixth place.
In 2016, Mabuse returned as a professional dancer for the ninth season of Let's Dance. She was partnered with television presenter Niels Ruf. The couple were the first to be eliminated in week 2, leaving in 14th place.
Season 8: with celebrity partner Daniel Küblböck
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result |
|
| González | M Mabuse | Llambi |
|
| 1 | Quickstep / "You're The One That I Want" | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 | Safe |
| 2 | Rhumba / "Mad World" | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | Safe |
| 3 | Contemporary / "Jeanny" | 6 | 8 | 6 | 20 | Safe |
| 4 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Tragedy" | 5 | 5 | 2 | 12 | Safe |
| 5 | Waltz / "Yesterday" | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 | Bottom two |
| 6 | Hip-hop dance / "Sing" | 7 | 7 | 5 | 19 | Safe |
| 7 | Jazz dance & Pasodoble / "Born This Way" | 8 | 7 | 4 | 19 | Bottom two |
| 8 | Samba / "Livin' la Vida Loca"
Disco dance Marathon / "Ich will immer weider...dieses Fiber spür'n" | 7
Awarded | 7
10 | 5
points | 19
29 | Safe |
| 9 | Tango / "When Doves Cry"
Rock n' Roll / "Surfin' U.S.A." | 6
6 | 6
7 | 2
4 |
| Eliminated |
Season 9: with celebrity partner Niels Ruf
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result |
|
| González | Mabuse | Llambi |
|
| 1 | Viennese Waltz / "Where the Wild Roses Grow" | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | Bottom three |
| 2 | Jive / "Bad Boy" | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | Eliminated |
Strictly Come Dancing
Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance
|
|
American SmoothDanny Mac
Kelvin Fletcher | 39 | Graeme Swann | 15 |
| Cha Cha Cha | Kelvin Fletcher | 33 | Bill Bailey
Jonnie Peacock | 20 |
| Charleston | Danny Mac | 40 | Graeme Swann | 31 |
| Couple's Choice | Bill Bailey (Street) | 39 | Ugo Monye |
| Foxtrot | Danny Mac | 30 | Jonnie Peacock | 21 |
| Argentine tango | 38 | Bill Bailey | 32 |
| Jive | Kelvin Fletcher | 39 | Anthony Ogogo | 21 |
| Pasodoble | 37 | 19 |
| Quickstep | 40 | Graeme Swann | 24 |
| Rhumba | 39 | Ugo Monye | 20 |
| Salsa | Danny Mac | 37 | Jonnie Peacock | 27 |
| Samba | 40 | Ugo Monye | 18 |
| Tango | 38 | Jonnie Peacock | 26 |
| Viennese Waltz | Kelvin Fletcher | 34 | Danny Mac | 32 |
| Waltz | Graeme Swann | 29 | Anthony Ogogo | 19 |
| Showdance | Bill Bailey
Danny Mac
Kelvin Fletcher | 40 | - | - |
In 2015, Mabuse appeared as a professional on the 13th series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with Olympic boxer Anthony Ogogo. The couple were eliminated in Week 3, finishing in 14th place. That year, she also participated in the Children in Need and Christmas specials of the show, in which she partnered with actors Jack Ashton and Tom Chambers respectively.
In 2016, Mabuse was partnered with former Hollyoaks actor Danny Mac for the show's 14th series. The couple reached the final and finished as runners-up. For the show's 15th series in 2017, she was partnered with Paralympic sprinter Jonnie Peacock, they were eliminated in Week 9 in eighth place. She was paired with England cricketer Graeme Swann for the show's 16th series, they were eliminated in Week 10 in seventh place.
In 2019, for her fifth stint on the show, she was partnered with former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher, who replaced her originally announced partner, Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, who had to withdraw from the show after sustaining a foot injury when dancing on the launch show. They went on to become the winners of the series. Laing was confirmed as a contestant for the 18th series the following year, but was re-partnered with fellow professional Karen Hauer, in which Mabuse was partnered with comedian and actor, Bill Bailey, reaching the final and became series winners, with Mabuse becoming the second pro to win the show twice (the other being Aliona Vilani who won series 9 and series 13) and the only pro to win twice in succession.
On 18 April 2021, two weeks after being unveiled as part of 19th series of the show, Mabuse revealed that this would most likely be her last. On 22 February 2022, Mabuse confirmed she was leaving the show after seven years.
Series 13: with celebrity partner Anthony Ogogo
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result |
|
Craig Revel
Horwood | Darcey
Bussell | Len
Goodman | Bruno
Tonioli |
|
| 1 | Jive / "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 21 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Waltz / "If You Don't Know Me by Now" | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19 | Safe |
| 3 | Pasodoble / "Eye of the Tiger" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 19 | Eliminated |
Series 14: with celebrity partner Danny Mac
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result |
|
Craig Revel
Horwood | Darcey
Bussell | Len
Goodman | Bruno
Tonioli |
|
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Cake by the Ocean" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 31 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Viennese Waltz / "Never Tear Us Apart" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | Safe |
| 3 | Paso Doble / "El Sambrero Blanco" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | | Safe |
| 4 | Quickstep / "I Won't Dance" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe |
| 5 | Rhumba / "How Will I Know" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| 6 | Foxtrot / "Take Me to Church" | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 30 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive / "Long Tall Sally" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 8 | Argentine Tango / "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | | Safe |
| 9 | Charleston / "Puttin' On the Ritz" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | | Safe |
| 10 | Samba / "Magalenha"
Cha-cha-cha Challenge / "I Like It Like That" | 10
Awarded | 10
5 | 10
extra | 10
points |
| Safe |
| 11 | Tango / "One Night Only" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | | Safe |
| 12 | Salsa / "Vivir Mi Vida
American Smooth / "Misty Blue" | 9
10 | 9
9 | 9
10 | 10
10 | 37
| Bottom two |
| 13 | Quickstep / "I Won't Dance"
Concert dance / "Set Fire to the Rain"
Samba / "Magalenha" | 9
10
10 | 9
10
10 | 9
10
10 | 9
10
10 |
|
Series 15: with celebrity partner Jonnie Peacock
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result | |
| Revel Horwood | Bussell | Ballas | Tonioli | |
| 1 | Waltz / "When I Need You" | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | No Elimination | |
| 2 | Jive / "Johnny B. Goode" | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 29 | Safe | |
| 3 | Paso Doble / "The Raider's March" | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 26 | Safe | |
| 4 | American Smooth / "Cry Me a River" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Safe | |
| 5 | Quickstep / "Part-Time Lover" | 7 | 8 | 9 | –# | 24 | Safe | |
| 6 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Troublemaker" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | Safe | |
| 7 | Salsa / "Turn Me On" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | Safe | |
| 8 | Foxtrot / "Someone like You" | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 21 | Bottom two | |
|
| 9 | Tango / "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 26 | Eliminated |
# Bruno Tonioli was absent and there was no guest judge.
Series 16: with celebrity partner Graeme Swann
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result | |
Craig Revel
Horwood | Darcey
Bussell | Shirley
Ballas | Bruno
Tonioli | |
| 1 | Samba / "Soul Limbo" | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 22 | No Elimination | |
| 2 | American Smooth / "Try a Little Tenderness" | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 15 | Safe | |
| 3 | Charleston / "Spider-Man" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Safe | |
| 4 | Jive / "Don't Stop Me Now" | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 26 | Safe | |
| 5 | Tango / "Roxanne" | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8# | 29 | Safe | |
| 6 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Thriller" | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 21 | Bottom two | |
| 7 | Waltz / "The Last Waltz" | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 29 | Safe | |
| 8 | Salsa / "Follow the Leader" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Bottom two | |
| 9 | Jazz / "The Trolley Song" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 32 | Bottom two | |
| 10 | Quickstep / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)"
Lindy Hop-a-thon / "Do Your Thing" | 6
Awarded | 6
2 | 6
Extra | 6
Points | 24
26 | Eliminated |
# Bruno Tonioli was absent; Alfonso Ribeiro was guest judge.
Series 17: with celebrity partner Kelvin Fletcher
Mabuse was originally paired with Jamie Laing, however he had to pull out due to a foot injury whilst the recording of the launch show. Laing was replaced with Kelvin Fletcher, just before the start of the live shows.
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' scores | Result | |
| Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | |
| 1 | Samba / "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | No Elimination | | 2 | Waltz / "What the World Needs Now is Love" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe | | 3 | Charleston / "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | | Safe | | 4 | Rhumba / "Ain't No Sunshine" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe | | 5 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Get Stupid" | 8 | 8 | 8 | | 33 | Safe | | 6 | Ballroom tango / "Bad Guy" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe | | 7 | Viennese Waltz / "Say Something" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 34 | Safe | | 8 | Salsa / "Let's Hear It for the Boy" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe | | 9 | Jive / "Jailhouse Rock" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | | Safe | | 10 | Street dance / "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | | Safe | | 11 | American Smooth / "Gaston" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe | | 12 | Quickstep / "The Lady Is a Tramp"
Paso Doble / "Seven Nation Army" | 10
9 | 10
10 | 10
9 | 10
9 |
37 | Safe | | 13 | Rhumba / "Ain't No Sunshine"
Showdance / "Shout"
Samba / "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" | 9
10
9 | 10
10
10 | 10
10
10 | 10
10
10 |
| Bruno Tonioli was absent; Alfonso Ribeiro was guest judge.
Series 18: with celebrity partner Bill Bailey
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result | |
| Revel Horwood | Ballas | Mabuse | |
| 1 | Cha Cha Cha / "Pata Pata" | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 | No Elimination | |
| 2 | Quickstep / "Talk to the Animals" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe | |
| 3 | Paso Doble / "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 26 | Safe | |
| 4 | Street / "Rapper's Delight" | 8 | 10 | 9# | 27 | Safe | |
| 5 | American Smooth / "I've Got You Under My Skin" | 8 | 9 | 8# | 25 | Safe | |
| 6 | Jive / "One Way or Another" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe | |
| 7 | Argentine Tango / "The Phantom of the Opera" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe | | 8 | Charleston / "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey"
Tango / "Enter Sandman" | 8
8 | 8
7 | 9
8 | 25
23 | Safe | | 9 | Quickstep / "Talk to the Animals"
Showdance / "The Show Must Go On"
Street / "Rapper's Delight" | 9
10
9 | 10
10
10 | 10
10
10 |
| Motsi Mabuse was absent; Anton du Beke was guest judge.
Series 19: with celebrity partner Ugo Monye
| Week No. | Dance/ Song | Judges' score | Total | Result | |
| Revel Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | |
| 1 | Samba / "Iko Iko (My Bestie)" | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | No Elimination | | 2 | Quickstep / "Bring Me Sunshine" | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 25 | Safe | | 3 | Couple's Choice / "You're Welcome" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Safe | | 4 | Viennese Waltz / "I've Been Loving You Too Long | |
|
|
|
| Given bye | | 5 | Rhumba / "Leave the Door Open" | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | Eliminated | |
Dance tours and other professional engagements
In 2017, Mabuse took part in the national Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour with her celebrity partner Danny Mac. They were voted the winners of more individual shows than any other couple by the audience. In August 2017, Mabuse and Ian Waite announced a 60-date 2018 UK tour An Audience With.
In 2019, Mabuse became a dance captain on The Greatest Dancer, alongside Cheryl, Matthew Morrison and later Todrick Hall. The same year, she was a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef and was nominated for BroadwayWorld UK Awards - Best Choreography of a New Production of a Play or Musical for her work Kiss Me, Kate at the Watermill Theatre.
In March 2021, it was announced that Mabuse would be a panelist on a brand new ITV show, The Masked Dancer UK, a spin-off of The Masked Singer UK, replacing Rita Ora position in the original show.
From April 2022, Mabuse worked as the choreographer of the UK and Ireland production of The Cher Show, which toured the country.
In November 2024, Mabuse appeared as a contestant on the twenty-fourth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
Personal life
In 2014, Mabuse married Romanian dancer Marius Iepure, whom she met in Germany.
Filmography
|
| 2015–2016 | Let's Dance | Herself | Professional dancer (Seasons 8–9) | | | 2015–2021 | Strictly Come Dancing | Professional dancer (Series 13–19) | | | 2019–2020 | The Greatest Dancer | Judge | | | 2019–2021 | Lorraine | 7 episodes | | | 2019–2020 | This Morning | 4 episodes | | | 2019 | Celebrity MasterChef | Contestant | | | 2020 | Boogie Beebies | Host (Series 3) | | | 2020–2021 | Morning Live | Presenter (10 episodes) | | | 2020 | Michael McIntyre's The Wheel | Contestant (Christmas Special) | | | 2021 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | 3 episodes | | | 2021–2022 | The Masked Dancer UK | Panelist | | | 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK: "Dragoton" | Choreographer, guest judge | | | 2022–2025 | Dancing on Ice | Judge | | | 2022 | Romeo & Duet | Presenter | | | Oti Mabuse: My South Africa | BBC One documentary | | | Olivier Awards | Guest Presenter | 2022 Ceremony | | | The Big Narstie Show | Guest | Series 5 Episode 1 | | | Celebrity Catchphrase Christmas Special | Herself | Contestant | | | On Christmas Night | Presenter | Story of the first Christmas from the Gospel according to St Luke | | | 2023 | DNA Journey | Herself | With Motsi Mabuse | | | Oti Mabuse’s Breakfast Show | Presenter | | | | Herself | Celebrity Houseguest (Week 3) | | | 2024 | | Herself | Celebrity Houseguest (Week 1) | | | The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer | Herself / contestant | One episode | | | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Herself | Contestant; series 24 | | | 2025 | Loose Women | Herself | Guest Panellist | | |
Bibliography
-
Oti Mabuse, Dance with Oti, Walker Books, London, 27 May 2021. ISBN 9781406399967.
-
Oti Mabuse, Dance with Oti: the lion samba, Walker Books, London, 7 July 2022. ISBN 9781529500783.
Further reading
External links
Statistics
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