Dancer makes history as World Latin Champion

Roodepoort — South African ballroom solo dance sensation Jumah Mohammed has once again brought pride to the nation with his outstanding performance at the 2025 World Championships and World Cup in Warsaw, Poland.

The undefeated national champion, dance coach, and community advocate returned home with multiple international podium placements, including the prestigious World Latin Champion title.

Speaking to the Roodepoort Record, Jumah described this moment as ‘deeply emotional and symbolic of a journey built on faith, passion, and purpose’.

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He competed in both the Solo Latin and Solo Ballroom categories, impressively earning:

• Solo Latin World Championship: First place for World Champion Title, along with additional placements including second, third, and fourth places
• Solo Ballroom World Cup: Three first places, one second place, and one third place

“It’s not just a personal win – it’s a South African victory. Every step on that dancefloor was powered by the voices, hearts, and prayers of everyone back home. From those who helped fund my trip, to those who shared my posts or trained alongside me – this title belongs to all of us,” Jumah said.

Jumah’s dance career began as a self-taught dancer, with roots in South Africa’s cultural jazz and township styles.

Over the years, he developed a unique movement vocabulary, training himself in both ballroom and Latin dancing without the traditional path of coaches or sponsors.

Today, he stands not only as a national champion but as an inspiration to hundreds of dancers across the country.

Building on his success, Jumah is set to take his students to Greece later this year, where he and his students will compete in the Pro-Am World Championships.

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“For many of my dancers, this will be their first time on the world stage,” he says. “It’s not just about dancing – it’s about showing them that their dreams matter. With discipline and belief, they can perform in front of the world.”

He also aims at making further history by competing for the ballroom world championship title in Azerbaijan in September and the Netherlands in November and hopes the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will recognise dance – particularly Ballroom and Latin styles – as a meaningful, youth-building, and internationally competitive field.

“With support, we can train future world champions. South Africa has the talent, we just need the resources.

“I am ready to lead this journey and bring the flag home again and again,” he said.