Mabuse with Comedian Bill
after her second win. PHOTO/
COURTESY/BBC
Renowned dancer and television personality Oti Mabuse has expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming Uganda Dance Nights, a Latin and Ballroom Gala Ball, scheduled for March 22 at Kampala Serena Hotel’s Victoria Ballroom .
The event marks a significant collaboration between Valentino Kabenge’s ValRich Arts and the Oti and Marius Dance Studio (OMDS) from London, aiming to celebrate the universal language of dance and foster cross-cultural artistic exchange.
Oti recently shared her excitement on social media, posting, “My dream has always been to travel across Africa dancing, and now… it is happening.” Her words reflect the passion and dedication she brings to the world of dance, further amplifying the significance of Uganda Dance Nights.
Mabuse with actor Kelvin Fletcher
after winning Strictly Come
Dancing. PHOTOS/COURTESY/BBC
Mabuse, a two-time champion of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing, will be performing live with her husband, Marius Iepure, President of the British DanceSport Federation and former professional on Germany’s Let’s Dance.
Last year, Ugandan ballroom dancer Valentino took some time off in the UK, making relevant connections and trainings in dance. When he came back, he did not immediately jump into the field of organising a follow-up to his serialised show, Dance With Valentino.
Teaming up with Mabuse is a step in the right direction for the dancer who has been making a case for dance as an art and a profession for more than a decade now.
With the two collaborating, there is even a bigger statement for the duo to make about dance, an art most Africans don’t want to take serious.
Mabuse was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and began dancing as a young child alongside her sister Motsi, who is also a professional dancer.
In 2017 she partnered with the Strictly Come Dancing’s first ever Paralympic competitor, Jonnie Peacock, finishing in a respectable eighth place. Oti then put cricketer Graeme Swann to work in 2018 and the couple made it all the way to Week 10.
In 2019, she lost her partner to an injury and was replaced by actor Kelvin Fletcher, and the dazzling duo ended up taking the Glitterball home.
Mabuse has since left the famous show and ventured elsewhere, including being a judge on Dancing on Ice and participating in the Masked Singer.
This edition of Uganda Dance Nights was launched with a press conference at the beginning of Feruary, then, Valentino gave journalists a torch of what the show will be about with a live demonstration.
Valentino emphasised that Uganda Dance Nights aims to celebrate unity and artistry, highlighting the universal language of dance that transcends borders. Zena Bernacca, Director of ValRich Arts, the organising body, added that the event seeks to nurture talent and provide a global platform for Ugandan art. She noted the African roots of Latin ballroom music, expressing enthusiasm for audiences to recognise and appreciate this cultural connection during the show.
