South African-born Latin dance champion Motshegetsi “Motsi” Mabuse, 41, was expected to become a lawyer and join the family law firm but dropped out while studying and moved to Hamburg to dance professionally. She found fame as a pro on Let’s Dance, the German version of Strictly Come Dancing, before joining the judging panel. In 2019, she replaced Darcey Bussell as a judge on the UK series. She runs a dance school near Frankfurt with her second husband, Ukrainian dancer Evgenij Voznyuk, with whom she has a four-year-old daughter.
What have you made of this series of Strictly?
I absolutely fell in love with [it]. We’ve not only had great couples but the standard of dance has been so high. It’s worked in both entertainment value and quality, which is extremely satisfying.
Did you enjoy former footballer Tony Adams becoming a cult hero?
I really did. He worked so hard and he’s exactly what Strictly’s about. You might sit there grumbling about the state of the world, then you see Tony Adams doing a samba and suddenly there’s nothing to complain about [laughs].
What are your Christmas plans? Will you get a break?
We’re all so excited, we might burst into flames. We’re reuniting the whole family in South Africa for the first time in eight years. I fly out after the Strictly final. We’re all on a countdown and ready to party.
What does a Mabuse Christmas Day look like?
Normally, we’d cook lunch, eat, then unwrap presents and play games. But because it’s a family reunion, we decided to have no stress and go to a restaurant. We’ll dress up and be all fancy for our parents. And nobody has to wash up afterwards. Then on the 27th, we’re having the big, big family party. It’s going to be noisy. I would not suggest anyone comes uninvited or unprepared.
Your younger sister Oti was a pro dancer on Strictly but left this year. Do you miss her?
I do. There’s something about having family on this show, knowing that somebody’s there. I’m very proud of her moving on to other things and making her own name. Not many dancers have gone on to have a separate career after Strictly. But it also gives us space. Being sisters on Strictly, we were always being watched. People were alert for the slightest sign of favouritism.
You got quite emotional after Hamza Yassin’s Afro-fusion couple’s choice routine this series, didn’t you?
Hamza has consistently amazed me but to see that style of dance on Strictly meant a lot. Sometimes the dancefloor lags quite far behind. There’s rarely acknowledgment of where dances come from. Their history and culture gets ignored, so to showcase those roots was such a moment. It was emotional to see that on such a big stage and courageous of Hamza to do it, especially nowadays in this divided world.
The audience often boo your colleague Craig Revel Horwood but you seem to find him hilarious…
I know the real Craig and it’s not the Craig you see on TV. He’s so sweet and soft-hearted. He’s always giving me advice and we’re always laughing. But on screen, it’s fun to play with that. He’s speaks German to me, which nobody has noticed. I’m really happy sitting next to Craig.
Viewers get cross about scores or comments they see as unfair. Do you get online abuse?
I don’t let it upset me. In my first year on Strictly, it did. I didn’t realise how many people were writing positives because I was concentrating on the few negatives. Now I interact on social media with a different attitude and have fun with it. Sometimes people are triggered by my hair – but you know what? The conversation is changing and Strictly is a part of that change. It’s OK for me to celebrate being me. It’s just hair. No need to have a heart attack.
The Christmas special will feature CBeebies star George Webster, the first ever contestant with Down’s syndrome. Are you looking forward to that?
So much. Everybody loves to dance and dancing is for absolutely everyone. Why shouldn’t we all get a chance to be seen? Whether it’s same-sex couples or contestants with disabilities, it’s super to be part of a show like that. Dance is the best way to connect to yourself, to other people. It’s a special sort of freedom.
Which celebrity would you most like to see on Strictly?
Oprah Winfrey and Graham Norton. Come on, Graham! I’d also love to see RuPaul dance with Graziano [Di Prima].
How long will you stay on Strictly? It must be tough, commuting from Germany and being away from your family…
I’ve worked hard all my life and I’ll be on Strictly for as long as Strictly wants me. When it says: “Madame Mabuse, we’re done with you,” I will walk away. You will not hear any scandal from me. I’ll just bow down, say thanks and pass the baton. I want this beautiful show to last for ever. It has filled my life. I’ve been on the German show for 16 years, then I came here too. That little girl from Africa would never have dreamed of the life she’s living now. When I think about it, I really have to tighten up my tummy because I could cry.
What if the US edition, Dancing With the Stars, came calling? There have been rumours…
When they call, they call. If they don’t call, that’s cool too. Life happens.
What did your parents say when you switched from law to dance?
They were heartbroken. There was all types of drama. But it’s my life. My parents were strict and made us disciplined but that worked for me and my sister in dance too. It meant we really went for it.
What will you say to your own daughter if she wants to dance?
I hope not! But if she does, she needs to understand that there’s dancing as a competitor and there’s being average. And she needs to make that choice, because if you’re going to compete, you need to push all the way.
Your husband is Ukrainian. He must be worried about what’s happening back home?
I’m so glad his parents got out. They’re staying at our house in Germany. The silver lining is that they have the gift of spending so much time with their grandchild. But they’re very worried about the country and we’re doing all we can to support the people of Ukraine. It’s so intense and heartbreaking.
You published your memoir this year, Finding My Own Rhythm. Why the title?
It’s about my journey – we love that word on Strictly! – and I’m still finding my rhythm. Every life stage I come to, I have to find a new beat. Like, I’m a first-time mom, so I’m doing all this stuff for the first time. Finding my rhythm is really saying to everyone that there’s no set way to do it. Just approach life with joy, don’t be so hard to yourself and feel your own way.
What was the feedback from readers?
Everyone has been lovely – although it’s interesting that a lot of people said: “Oh, we didn’t know it was so bad in South Africa.” That astonished me. I was like: “Really?”
What’s in the pipeline for you?
The new German Strictly season starts in February. There’s also some stuff coming up in the UK with Oti, funnily enough, that I’m not allowed to speak about yet. I’m just trying to find my rhythm!
• Strictly Come Dancing’s grand final airs tonight at 7.05pm on BBC One. The festive special airs on Christmas Day, 5.10pm, on BBC One. Motsi Mabuse’s memoir, Finding My Own Rhythm, is out now (Ebury, £20). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
