Motsi Mabuse

Motsi Mabuse is a South African dancer living in Germany who rose to fame after participating in the German dance competition Let's Dance. Initially, the public knew her as a professional dancer. Later, she appeared on the show as a member of the judging panel. Since 2019, Mabuse has been a judge on the British version of Strictly Come Dancing. In this article, we will tell you where she was born, what TV projects she has participated in, who she is married to, and whether she has children.

Biography of Motsi Mabuse

Motsi Mabuse was born on 11 April 1981 in the village of Mankwe, which at that time was part of Bantowantu of Bophuthatswana (now the North-West Province of South Africa).

Motsi Mabuse's youth

When Motsi was about 5 years old, her family moved to Pretoria. She attended Hillview High School in Pretoria.

At the age of 11-12, she began taking dance lessons at the North-West Arts Council. Mabuse says that this helped her find stability in a difficult life situation.

When the future professional dancer was 16, her family moved to a neighbourhood where white people lived. As Motsi has dark skin, she had a difficult time.

She initially enrolled at the University of Pretoria to study law, but soon realised that her true calling was dance.

Siblings

Motsi Mabuse has two younger sisters: Oti Mabuse (Otlile Mabuse), born on 8 August 1990, and Phemelo Mabuse, who lives in South Africa, works as a mechanical engineer, and previously studied dance.

Motsi's younger sisters look alike, but they are not twins.

Oti Mabuse, like her older sister, has achieved success in dance and won major competitions.

Parents

Motsi Mabuse's father is Peter Mabuse, and her mother is Dudu Mabuse.

In an interview, the dancer mentioned that her father wanted her to become a lawyer and join the family law firm, but she chose a different path in life.

Motsi's mother introduced her to the world of dance: she took her daughter to fitness dance classes (Jane Fonda-type workout classes) in their neighbourhood and later organised a dance school for children.

Motsi Mabuse's career

At the age of 18, Motsi Mabuse moved from South Africa to Germany with the aim of pursuing a career as a dancer and entering the international stage.

In 2010, she was part of the ARD team during the World Cup, providing reports from South Africa.

In 2016, she made her acting debut at a German theatre festival, playing the role of Tituba in Arthur Miller's production of The Crucible.

Dancing career

In 1998, Mabuse came second in the national dance championship.

In 2000, she moved to Germany to pursue a professional career in dance and open her own school.

In 2007, Motsi took part in the second season of the dance show Let's Dance, where she performed with former Eurovision Song Contest participant Guillot Horn.

In 2013, she won the German Latin dance competition together with Ukrainian dancer Yevgeny Voznyuk.

In 2019, she joined the jury of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing dance competition.

Mabuse is often invited to judge international ballroom and Latin dance competitions.

TV shows with Motsi Mabuse

Here is a list of popular TV shows featuring Motsi Mabuse:

1. Let's Dance – she performed as a professional dancer and has been a judge on the show since 2011.
2. Das Supertalent. In 2011, she replaced Bruce Darnell on the judging panel for the fifth season of the series.
3. Stepping Out. She was a member of the jury on the German version of the ratings show.
4. In 2018, Mabuse became the host of the styling show ‘Who Makes Me Beautiful’ on RTLplus.
5. Strictly Come Dancing. Since 2019, the celebrity has been a member of the judging panel for the British version.
6. The Graham Norton Show. In 2022, Motsi took part in an episode of the show, where Graham Norton, Stormzy, Geena Davis and Stephen Graham were in discussion.

In the Christmas special of The Masked Singer (UK), Motsi hid under the ‘Turkey Crown’ costume and performed in a mask and costume.

Mabuse not only participates in television shows, but also supports charitable initiatives. In 2019, it was announced that she had become an ambassador for Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA). This project supports women farmers in African countries south of the Sahara.

In addition, Motsi Mabuse is an ambassador for the WW (formerly Weight Watchers) healthy lifestyle programme.

Motsi Mabuse's personal life

Many viewers who have the opportunity to see Motsi Mabuse on air tonight on the dance show are interested in her personal life. The public wants to know if she is married and if she has children. Viewers also note the dancer's original hairstyle, which gives her image a sense of austerity.

Husband

Motsi Mabuse's husband is Ukrainian dancer Yevgeny Voznyuk. The couple met during a dance project. They performed as a pair, and a romantic relationship developed between them, which led to marriage.

The couple run a dance school together in Germany.

The couple's wedding took place in 2017, first with a civil ceremony, followed by a celebration in Majorca.

This is Motsi Mabuse's second marriage; she was previously married to her dance partner Timo Kulczak. That union lasted from 2003 to 2014.

In her autobiography, Mabuse admitted that this marriage was not easy for her. In 2022, the celebrity released the book Finding My Own Rhythm, in which she made allegations about her ex-husband Timo Kulczak, informing the public that he restricted her finances and controlled her diet.

In response, the dancer's ex-husband filed a defamation suit, demanding £290,000 in compensation.

In August 2025, it was announced that the court (Landgericht Offenburg) had completely dismissed his claim — Mabuse won the case. Her statements were recognised as an expression of free speech, and Kulczak was forced to cover the costs of the lawsuit.

Children

Motsi Mabuse and her husband Yevgeny Voznyuk have a daughter. The girl was born in 2018.

Mabuse has repeatedly said that family is her priority.

Net worth

Motsi Mabuse is a fairly wealthy woman, earning more than her husband. According to Entertainment Daily, the dancer's net worth is around £8.5 million.

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