Finding My Own Rhythm: My Story

by Motsi Mabuse

'Ever since I was a child I loved to dance. I had it in me - and when you dance the whole day and you've got music, it doesn't feel like work. It's freedom. It's love. It's therapy.'Before taking Strictly Come Dancing by storm, Motsi Mabuse worked her way up to becoming one of the top professional dancers worldwide and was crowned the Latin dance champion. From the moment she fell in love with the glitterball world as a young child watching a dance tournament, she knew that dancing was her destiny.However, it wasn't always an easy path. Motsi takes us back to her youth growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, where she experienced exclusion and discrimination. She raised the money herself to compete in international competitions, eventually uprooting her life to be with her dance partner in Germany. Through it all, Motsi never let anything hold her back from fulfilling her dreams, showing the determination, hard work and resilience it took to get to where she is today.In Finding My Own Rhythm , Motsi leads us in to the rhinestone-studded world of dance, through the ups and downs, romances and heartbreaks, the obstacles and adversity, and the long hours and triumphs that made it all worth it, all while staying true to herself and moving to the beat of her own rhythm.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Published September 8, 2022

Reviews

[Becky Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooo what a great autobiography! Best one I've read in a while. Whilst Shirley Ballas' was 100% about dance and at times got a bit boring for a none dancer, I feel that Motsi got the balance right and talked a lot about travel and history and politics of South Africa. After reading these, I can totally see now why Motsi got so emotional at seeing Hamza's afro beats dance on Strictly.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t have known much about Motsi’s professional dancing career, only knowing her as a judge on Strictly and the older sister of Oti, but in this book we hear about her dance journey in a South Africa after apartheid.

Motsi shares the sacrifices she made, how her dance partners became her life partners and how she finally found her rhythm and started dancing to the beat of her own drum.

I just thought she rushed the end of the book. I know a lot of people would have picked up the book to hear more from the Strictly judge and the inner workings of the show and would have been left a little underwhelmed and disappointed, but I actually would have loved to hear more about her new family dynamics, as she mentioned her Ukrainian in laws had made it to them and how they were all coping together.

[Beachcomber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and interesting look at how a young girl growing up in South Africa, becomes a dance champion. Filled with information about growing up during apartheid, and how her family helped instill a sense of drive and ambition in her, Motsi’s personality shines through. By the end of the book, you definitely feel that she’s found her self and place, and would be a great person to chat to over a drink.

Only slight quibble? The inevitable rash of memoir exclamations! We must be always excited telling our story! It’s a feature of memoirs though, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book I would have bought normally but I went to listen to Motsi at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and gained a new respect for the Strictly judge and award winning dancer. Her voice came through really well in the book and her absolute determination to be the best she can be - sometimes to a fault. She did somewhat skate over the end of her first marriage and the beginning of her second! I found particularly interesting the story of her early life living during apartheid.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this read to me by Motsi herself as an audiobook and really enjoyed it. I found it both interesting to see where this lady that we see on Strictly come dancing came from and loved her honesty and thoughts about her life as she read it. Maybe it helped that it was Motsi that read it but I felt like she was my friend by the end of the book

[Gary Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Story: Motsi Mabuse

The story of a young Lady from South Africa who wouldn't take no for an answer. Through determination, hard work and a work ethic second to non, Motsi achieved her goals, a career and a family. The light of Strictly Come Dancing without doubt.

[Uzoamaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deeper look into the life of Motsi, the Strictly Come Dancing judge. Her life from childhood to now and how much dance influenced many of her life changes, decisions and all. I loved how she told the story centred around her so no one else was getting the shine (lol).

[Shayne Ramsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story, from an incredibly driven and exceptionally talented lady from my homeland!

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Motsi Mabuse.

[Sue Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a interesting book to read

[Carla Senior · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Pauline Musembi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely read

[Otone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Motsi is an undeniable star on TV and it was interesting to read about the competitive ballroom scene in South Africa growing up, but the way this was translated perhaps left much to be desired.