Local Dance Royalty Joins Acclaimed International Choreographer On Dancing With The Stars SA Judging Panel

SA’s Tebogo Kgobokoe and Debbie Turner will scrutinise the dancing pairs’ every move alongside BAFTA nominee Jason Gilkison

This week Sunday (4 February at 17:00), M-Net 101 will whizz viewers off to a glitzy set and gleaming dance floor for the first live broadcast of its much anticipated new reality show extravaganza, Dancing With The Stars SA.

To date the channel has revealed which 12 celebrities will cha-cha, jive and tango their way into the hearts of the voting public. But which professional dancers will pair up with these stars to put their best foot forward? And who are the esteemed panel of judges whose scores will count 50% towards the outcome of the competition?

A couple of weeks ago, M-Net announced that international dance champion, renowned reality show judge, choreographer to A-list stars, creative director of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing  and BAFTA nominee Jason Gilkinson signed up to bring his expertise to Dancing With The Stars SA.  Jason will be joined by legends of the local dance fraternity and the two divas of the dance floor, ‘SA’s Queen of Dance’, Tebogo Kgobokoe and teacher extraordinaire Debbie Turner, who will bring their years of experience, unique style and sharp comments to the show.

“We are honoured that high-in-demand experts like Jason, Tebogo and Debbie have agreed to be part of Dancing With The Stars SA,” says M-Net’s Head of Publicity,  Lani Lombard. “There will also be a fourth judge whose credentials will add gravitas to the show and the dancers have been handpicked to bring on pizazz, personality and perfect moves. It promises to be an extravaganza of note!”

Tebogo, who is known for her unique flair and eye for technique, is a well-known Latin and ballroom champion. She is also an acclaimed coach, choreographer and international adjudicator. Raised as a traditional dancer in the North-West Province, Tebogo has since become a 10-time winner of the South African Professional Latin and Ballroom Championship and seven-time winner of the South African Professional Latin American Championship.With a passion for development and teaching, Tebogo launched the Tebogo Kgobokoe Arts Academy to foster local dance talent.

Debbie launched the Cape Academy of Performing Arts and is the founding Artistic Director of the renowned Cape Dance Company. With a background in competitive Latin, ballroom and neo-classical dance, Debbie has studied and worked with world-famous teachers and choreographers. She starred in lead roles in international productions that include Cats, Dirty Dancing and The Lion King. Debbie is a passionate teacher and visionary, who has gone on to become a key figure in South African dance training.

Both Tebogo and Debbie are thrilled to be part of M-Net’s first season of Dancing With The Stars. “I love dance in all its guises and genres, and so look forward to the theatrical fun and excitement of it all,” Debbie says. “Seeing celebrities working in other professions introduced and exposed to competitive dance in this wonderful way will be the highlight for me.”

The series, in which 12 untrained local celebrities compete for the favour of the judges and voting public with the help of highly skilled professional Latin and Ballroom dancers, will run on M-Net channel 101 for 12 weeks, starting on Sunday 4 February at 17:00. Eliminations will take place from the third episode and to vote for your favourite pair,  register on mnet.tv/dwtssavote

Dancing With The Stars SA in produced for M-Net by multi-award winning Rapid Blue and is sponsored by Lottostar.

For more information about M-Net’s impressive new local slate, visit www.mnet.tv

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb