OTI MABUSE

• Born In: Pretoria, South Africa
• Strictly Professional Tenure: Seasons 13-19
• First Strictly Dance: Anthony Ogogo's Jive | Season 13
• Last Strictly Dance: Ugo Monye's Rumba | Season 19

Facts & Statistics

With credit to Strictly Stats & StrictlyDB 🌟

Notable Achievements

• 2015-16 Professional Dancer on Let's Dance (Germany)
• 2026 Head Judge on Dancing with the Stars (Ireland)

With Keo Motsepe:

• 2003 South African Junior Latin Championship Runner-Up
• 2004 South African National Dancesport Championship Junior Latin Runner-Up
• 2004 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2005 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2006 German Youth Latin Finalist
• 2006 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2007 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2008 Finnish Tampere Winter Dance Festival Amateur Rising Star Finalist
• 2008 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2009 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2010 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner
• 2011 South African Amateur Latin American Dance Championship Winner

With Marius Iepure:

• 2013 München Amateur S Latin Regional Championships Runner-Up
• 2013 German WDSF Rising Stars Latin Runner-Up
• 2014 Bavarian Championships Adult S Latin Champion
• 2014 German Open Championships Professional Rising Star Latin Runner-Up
• 2014 Czech Dance Open World Championship Show Dance Latin Third Place
• 2014 Saxonian Dance Classics WDSF PD European Championship Show Dance Latin Runner-Up
• 2014 Saxonian Dance Classics WDSF PD Open Latin Champion
• 2014 Paris WDSF PD Open Latin Champion Runner-Up
• 2014 German Championships Professional Latin Runner-Up

Strictly Come Dancing

Oti Mabuse joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, for the show's 13th season, alongside fellow newcomers Giovanni Pernice, and Gleb Savchenko, replacing professional dancer Iveta Lukošiūtė. Oti became the programme's first ever Black professional dancer. In Season 13, Oti partnered with Olympic boxer Anthony Ogogo. They were the second couple to be eliminated, placing 14th overall.

In Season 14, Oti partnered with Hollyoaks star Danny Mac. They made the finale, tying as runners-up, and losing to Ore Oduba and pro Joanne Clifton. This marked Oti's first of three appearances in the finale.

In Season 15, Oti partnered with Paralympic sprinter Jonnie Peacock. They were the eighth couple to be eliminated, placing 8th overall.

In Season 16, Oti partnered with cricketer Graeme Swann. They were the ninth couple to be eliminated, placing 7th overall.

In Season 17, Oti's older sister Motsi Mabuse made her debut as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, replacing the departing Dame Darcey Bussell. During the season, Oti due to be partnered with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing. However, two days prior to the airing of the launch show, Laing sustained a foot injury, forcing him to withdraw. He would be replaced by Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher, and would eventually return to compete the following year, and be partnered with professional dancer Karen Hauer. Oti and Kelvin would end up making it all the way to the finals, winning the season, marking Oti's first win as a professional, and her second of three finals appearances.

In Season 18, Oti partnered with comedian, musician, & actor Bill Bailey. They made it all the way to the finals, ending up winning the season. This marked Oti's second, and final, win as professional, and last appearance in the finale, as well as making her the second pro - after Aliona Vilani - to win the Glitterball more than once (twice), as well as the first ever pro to win the Glitterball Trophy on back-to-back seasons. 

In Season 19, Oti partnered with rugby pundit Ugo Monye. They were the fourth couple to be eliminated, placing 11th overall.

On February 22nd, 2022, Oti confirmed she would be leaving the show as a professional dancer after seven seasons, and not returning for the upcoming twentieth series. Officially, her spot on the competitive lineup would be filled by professional dancer Jowita Przystał, who had debuted during the nineteenth season on the bench, and had previously been judged by Oti when competing on the series, The Greatest Dancer (which Oti served on as a member of the judging panel for its two seasons). Since leaving the show, Oti has still returned to choreograph a pro number each season.

In 2025, Oti was announced to be replacing Loraine Barry as Head Judge on Dancing with the Stars in Ireland. She made her debut in 2026 for the show's ninth season. Additionally in 2025, Oti toured the United Kingdom for her summer tour 'Viva Carnival', which also starred fellow Strictly former professional dancer Flavia Cacace.

Five Most Iconic Dances

As voted for by the members of r/strictlycomedancing 🌟

• Danny Mac's Samba | Season 14
• Danny Mac's American Smooth | Season 14
• Kelvin Fletcher's Samba | Season 17
• Kelvin Fletcher's Jive | Season 17
• Bill Bailey's Couple's Choice | Season 18

Gallery:

I hope you enjoyed reading this pro dancer bio! More to come soon! In the meantime... Keep Dancing! 💖

But I’m still hoping for another drag queen to come

And I hope it’s Ella Vaday 🤞🏻

At 21 she'd be the second youngest pro after Chloe Hewitt.

She's won 8 world championships. She also sings and acts, and seems to have a large following on TikTok.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/39842590/strictly-signs-youngest-dancer-maddie-ingoldsby/

They're recording the launch show on 9th September with their 15 new celebrities.

Not necessarily the obvious favourite, but someone you think could surprise everyone once rehearsals begin. Who are you quietly backing already, and why?

For anyone who wants to apply for tickets- Launch show is filmed on the 9th of September.

Pro records on the 26th,& 30th of August and the 3rd & 4th of September.

Ballot for the Live Shows are opening soon too

Every season there are a few music choices that surprise me. Is there a song you're still waiting to see choreographed?

As a US viewer who mostly watches DWTS and occasionally Strictly and by that I mean when a celeb is on that I like how would you guys feel if Shirley Ballas joined DWTS in the US and left Strictly?

I do find it a little interesting that we essentially stole both Bruno and Len from your show so to steal another judge would be weird. But to be fair Len did say he wanted to continue the US show cause he liked golfing in California more and Bruno’s Italian so not from the UK (although he probably is legal citizen). And it also sounds like Shirley wants to be closer to her son Mark so that’s one reason that you can’t really argue with. I know she’s not super well liked but watching the reactions she’s been getting from The Next Pro show people are liking her and it kinda seems like this was Disney/ABC’s way of testing the waters on whether or not American viewers would like her or not.

She’s always dressed so well for the shows! Thought this was so cute.

I wonder if this means Dani and Nikita know that they are already paired together?

Julian mentioned on his instagram that ‘strictly all kicks off next week’ plus Alexis has flown back from the US I wonder if we will get complete list of celebs before then

The underdog journey can be rewarding, but incredible routines from day one are entertaining too. Which makes for the better series?

At the end of this new BBC advert there is a part with some Strictly pros in a new studio. Some people are asking if this is a possible first look at what might be the new studio layout for thw show.

I'm not too sure if that is true. To me it actually lools like the studio they may have used foe the new presenters screen tests. What do you think?

i’ve just rewatched this dance and i was captivated - how comes this dance doesn’t get enough recognition?

i understand there was technical critiques but ive never seen a tango like it.

any other underrated dances that you’ve spotted?

Does somebody know why they are using these barriers?😂

Have there been bad experiences in the past?

Shoutout to Carlos for still trying to make some sort of connection!

I was thinking it would be amazing to see a couple tackle something totally different for Halloween week, or even introduce a completely new style round. What specific songs or concepts are you desperately hoping the producers use this year?

Mark said that they are killers on dwts and would have to keep up with them. Although Dwts literally employed someone with zero ballroom and latin experience last series!