Top 31 Quotes & Sayings by Oti Mabuse

Explore popular quotes and sayings by a South African dancer Oti Mabuse.

Last updated on September 16, 2024.

Otlile "Oti" Mabuse is a South African talent show judge, presenter, dancer and Latin dance champion currently based in the United Kingdom. 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. She was a Dance Captain on The Greatest Dancer. Since 2021, she has been a panellist on The Masked Dancer and became a judge on Dancing on Ice in 2022.

South African - Dancer | Born: August 8, 1990

Source: Wikipedia

I'm determined to not let my skin colour or the fact that I come from Africa be a hindrance.

Oti Mabuse

Although I won many titles on the competition circuit, my first professional audition was in 2015 for the popular German version of 'Strictly Come Dancing', called 'Let's Dance'.

Oti Mabuse

The goal was for me to become a civil engineer. But one day I really felt that it was important for me to do what I really loved. I was really good at engineering, but I didn't have a passion for it, so going to work was something I had to do, not something that I really wanted to do.

Oti Mabuse

I have different styles of shoe for different dances and I love sneakers, flats, platforms, heels, boots. Especially my thigh-high black leather boots from Kurt Geiger.

Oti Mabuse

My sister loves to play Christmas music - especially Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' - that's definitely the best to dance to.

Oti Mabuse

In the rest of Europe, dance is seen as a sport and in the UK it's seen as an art. And art isn't subsidised in the same way sport is.

Oti Mabuse

I wouldn't do anything I don't enjoy.

Oti Mabuse

My first passion was to create for young girls the idea that you have to be brave and courageous, it's not easy taking big steps and saying, 'I'm going to be a professional dancer'.

Oti Mabuse

When you are different, that can lead to judges not marking you right because they think you look 'odd' - and that's in any competition.

Oti Mabuse

The first dance we did for 'Ain't Misbehavin' was five minutes and I was like, 'What? Five minutes!'

Oti Mabuse

I don't do anything I'm not going to enjoy.

Oti Mabuse

I like to be so good, that no-one can have anything to say about me; my dancing speaks for itself.

Oti Mabuse

I know first-hand what it's like to be judged and to have someone criticise your creativity, your hard work and your art.

Oti Mabuse

I've dedicated my life to competitive dancing, so I'd like to pass that on to others. You can't be half-hearted about competitive dancing, you have to be prepared to give your whole life over to it.

Oti Mabuse

At the end of the day, a show like 'Strictly' is not about what colour you are, or where you come from. It is about how hard you are prepared to work and how well you can dance.

Oti Mabuse

In London, I live with one of the other 'Strictly' dancers, Amy Dowden. She got me a chocolate advent calendar and I had no idea what it was. I'd never seen one before!

Oti Mabuse

If something doesn't go your way, then look for another way. If something's broken, fix it.

Oti Mabuse

South Africa is really diverse, with many cultures and 11 official languages, so there are lots of different Christmas traditions.

Oti Mabuse

I couldn't ask for anything else. I am super, super happy.

Oti Mabuse

With TV presenting, I speak a lot anyway!

Oti Mabuse

It's really important to always have a positive mind-set, no matter what people have been through.

Oti Mabuse

The most important thing any person can focus on, whether in a first audition or a first job, is to be the best you can be. The rest will take care of itself.

Oti Mabuse

I had been dancing in competitions in South Africa since the age of four, before going on to compete internationally.

Oti Mabuse

I have a thing for earphones - I have five types.

Oti Mabuse

My family plays a big part in my role as a dancer and my sister was my first trainer. She's still my role model and inspiration until this day. She was my first trainer, she taught me my first steps.

Oti Mabuse

I'm smiling every single day because every opportunity I've been given feels like a baby in Disneyland, I'm constantly hoping to move on to the next job.

Oti Mabuse

I've made storylines through dance to complement the music. It's all about enhancing the singing and acting. It's been an amazing learning curve for me.

Oti Mabuse

I'm obsessed with 'Wicked', and I'd love to play Nala in 'The Lion King'. Some of the songs from 'The Lion King' are performed in my native tongue, so when the cast performed an extract from the show in 'Strictly' in the language I grew up with, it made me cry.

Oti Mabuse

I was born and raised in Pretoria. Nobody ever really talked about Santa because the whole concept just didn't make sense to us. Think about what South Africa looks like: I mean, we don't even have any chimneys for him to come down!

Oti Mabuse

I can make a beginner, anyone with no dance experience, look amazing if we put in the hours.

Oti Mabuse

Off the show, I still wear my £5 leggings.

Oti Mabuse