For the first time since 2022, Cheryl Burke on Oct. 28 will return to Dancing with the Stars ballroom — not to perform but to guest judge alongside Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Burke, who competed for 26 seasons under the mirror ball, returns with a special set of skills. Besides being the first female pro to win the Mirror Ball Trophy and the first pro in the history of the franchise to become a back-to-back champion, Burke is also properly schooled when it comes to ballroom judging (more on that later).
But giving the dancers feedback is not what stresses Burke out about her much-anticipated return; it’s keeping her critiques to 15 seconds or less without impacting the flow of the show. Regardless, she’s eager to join the judges’ dais for Halloween Night and the “Dance Monster-thon.”
“It’s going to be so special,” says Burke. “It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be pure joy. It’s going to be all of the feels, so my makeup artist is going to have a hard job trying to glue on my lashes. There will be waterworks, for sure.”
DEADLINE Your absence from the ballroom has certainly been felt. Was some of it due to the fact that your podcast Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, which you suspended last year, might have ruffled a few feathers?
CHERYL BURKE I don’t know. That’s not a question for me. Like any family, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. But at the end of the day, there is still loyalty. I will always love the show. Love is stronger than any type of hate or fear. I was a big part of the show for close to 20 years. I’m there to celebrate those 20 years and how the show is still going strong.
DEADLINE Why do you think pros make good judges?
BURKE Pros know what they’re talking about because we’ve been there. There’s a technique book for ballroom dancing. I took my adjudicators test many years ago, even before I did Dancing with the Stars, and I studied that in a way that’s similar to people studying for the SATs. Dancing of the Stars is special. It’s not just a dance show, it’s not about how anything goes. It’s about the challenge. Here’s your challenge for the week! If you’re getting a cha cha, here are the rules that go with it.
DEADLINE What is this adjudicators test you speak of?
BURKE I had to study the technique book for ballroom and for Latin. From age 11 until I got my first partner at 14, I did both styles of dance. I did standard and Latin. And within that, we have to go through different levels. Bronze is first. Then you go to silver, gold, and then open gold. Within those [levels], you have to stay within the technique. So that’s been ingrained in my muscle memory. When I turned pro, or when I found a partner, I wanted to focus on one style because it’s almost impossible to be an expert in both. So I chose Latin, and then I completely focused my life on those five Latin dances, which are cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive. I can, quite literally, recite the technique book. If you want to be a judge, you have to take an adjudicators test. But to be qualified to be a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars is not the same as being an adjudicator in the ballroom world.
DEADLINE I think that speaks to the ongoing challenge that’s involved with judging on DWTS. Because if they say one thing wrong, they’re considered mean. But if they offer too much fluff and praise, it’s not helpful at all.
BURKE I think we can all agree that we’re never going to make every single person happy. We just have to make sure that whatever we say, it’s authentic to what you truly believe. That’s all you could do.
DEADLINE How much have you been watching since you left in 2022?
BURKE I watch like a crazy person, of course.
DEADLINE Do the judges’ comments bug you sometimes?
BURKE In the moment, yes. But am I going to make a TikTok video about it? No.
DEADLINE Is there room for improvement? What would you suggest to the panel after all these years?
BURKE Clearly the judges have the job. They’re doing the job, and I think they all bring something different to the show. We’ve always known that Carrie Ann and Bruno don’t come from a ballroom background. However, they do bring something different that none of we ballroom experts can bring.
DEADLINE How did you feel about the feedback when you were competing on the show?
BURKE I craved it. When I was a competitor, my celebrity would want more positive reinforcement. But for me, I want to know what else I can do better. I needed that third eye. It’s important to give constructive criticism if it makes sense. I don’t believe judges should call the pros out by name. This is about respect, right? I know what it’s like to be a pro, and I think to put ’em on blast is not necessarily constructive. The pros are not stupid. If the judges say something like, ‘oh, I wish it was a little bit more dynamic,’ obviously they’re talking to the pro, as well. There’s no need to call them out. I think there’s a way of doing it without having the pros feel like crap about the situation. They put in so much work. This is their lives, and they’ve tried their best. They’re not trying to fail. It’s harder for the newer pros like Jan Ravnik and Rylee Arnold. You can’t beat experience, especially on this show.
DEADLINE Okay, so when IS the appropriate time to incorporate a lift into a routine?
BURKE Contemporary and jazz. I am not an expert in those, so if anyone’s doing those, I am not going to give anything other than you did a good job. I am going to stay in my lane. Of course I will look for chemistry and all of that, but you can do lifts all you want in those dances. Salsa is not part of the five Latin dances, FYI. Salsa is not even considered a rhythm dance, which is another American style. So you can do lifts in salsa.
It’s never about the tricks. It’s about the transitions into the tricks and how you get out of the tricks. Because the tricks themselves, yes, they are impressive, but what’s more impressive is how sleek and how much detail you’ve put into the rehearsals. I was never a trick girl. Hated them. Tricks are for kids.
DEADLINE How about during the Argentine tango?
BURKE Yes. I went to Argentina to learn this, and they added the Argentine tango to the show. It has nothing to do with the ballroom world. Now what gets me is there are rules when it comes to quickstep and ballroom tango. You’re not supposed to break hold yet everyone still does it. I’m going to ask this question before the live show. I just want to make sure the rules haven’t changed since I’ve been there. I just want to know so that I’m not the only one calling people out.
DEADLINE What do you make of the surge in viewer votes?
BURKE I am loving how there are so many people who are just passionately involved in this show. I think that says a lot about the production, but also about dance. Ballroom dance is just so special and I get so excited for them and I am rooting for every single person on the show.
DEADLINE Earlier this year, you signed a first-look deal with ABC to develop entertainment programming, as well as specials and podcasts. Do you have anything in the works?
BURKE I’ve never been a part of the creation, the behind the scenes stuff of the entertainment world. It is a slower process. It’s not Dancing with the Stars, that’s for sure. This takes crafting and some time. But I do have some ideas. I’ve pitched an idea and I guess it’s just a waiting game, but when it moves, it moves. So stay tuned.
