Cheryl Burke is making her long-awaited return to Dancing with the Stars.
The professional dancer, who retired in November 2022, will serve as a guest judge on “Halloween Night” next Tuesday, along with Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
“I wasn’t going to say ‘no’ to this! It’s so special and surreal,” Burke told Page Six exclusively over Zoom, adding that she seeks “authenticity” from the remaining couples in the competition.
“It was very emotional leaving that ballroom for the last time, and I think it’s just as emotional to see everyone again, but in a good way. I’ve grown up on that show. I’ve spent most of my life on this show. I’ve been in the same ballroom for almost 20 years.”
Burke, who has competed professionally for 26 seasons, said it’s no secret she’s wanted this opportunity for a while.
“A lot of people know that I would have liked to have had the opportunity to judge,” she said. “So I’m really happy that they gave me this opportunity. I’m grateful.”
During our lengthy chat, Burke also weighed in on all the social conversations surrounding Season 34, including various discussions about the score.
Viewers agreed, claiming that some dance duos were scored “unfairly” and received “harsh” feedback, while others received high scores for “less impressive” routines.
“For new fans, I think that’s something they should try and understand, obviously you can’t force it down their throats, but you can’t compare couples because they don’t have the same dance style,” the two-time Mirror Ball winner explained.
“I encourage new fans to go to a real local dance competition and see what it’s like, because it’s impossible to compare any kind of ballroom dance to anything modern. You can’t even do it in a waltz or cha-cha. And let’s be honest, you can’t really do it unless you do it the way it’s done in the competition world. I mean…we’re all dancing to the same song (and dance style).”
Fans have been particularly harsh on Inaba this season, slamming her for everything from “confusing” scores to “harsh” feedback.
Inspired by the criticism, the longtime judge decided to respond this week with an Instagram post set to Taylor Swift’s “Actually Romantic,” after previously telling viewers, “It’s okay to disagree with what we see. That’s what makes our show great.”
“I can definitely have empathy and compassion for her because I think I’m going through that too, but in a different way,” Burke said. “All the judges are saying things that the audience probably won’t like. But when Carrie Ann said something, the reaction was certainly very different.”
“But, you know, ‘fuck you if you do, damn if you don’t.’ You can never please everyone,” she continued. “So the goal should never have been that, and I don’t think it was for her or any judge, because if it had been, they wouldn’t have been there that long.”
This season of “DWTS,” which stars Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Danielle Fishel, Dylan Efron, Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck and more, is already hitting record highs. The “Night of Dedication” episode alone was watched by approximately 6 million viewers.
Of course, that huge viewership also includes all the new fans watching the show for the first time and sharing their opinions. In particular, some of the negative comments on TikTok were unacceptable to contestants, professionals, and judges.
“Bullying has to stop,” Ms. Burke urged, “but it’s about giving them a little bit more control on social media platforms, because it’s a problem. I understand, I’ve been dealing with it myself lately.”
Burke went on to say that he believes it “may have a little more impact on the pros” because it touches on their entire work.
“We get the credit, but we also get the downside. If the choreography isn’t great, whatever it is,[it’s]our responsibility. As professionals, it’s also about their reputation,” she explained.
“It feels like everyone is watching everything, from your reactions to when you’re told ‘safe’. And lately, TikTok has expressed that. So you have to be really paranoid about it.”
Burke added that “all the professionals” are “so grateful” to be on the show, so anyone who thinks differently will find it “really hard” to watch.
“We dedicate our lives to this show.[But]you can’t impress everyone. Understand…your legitimacy doesn’t come from outside noise, it comes from within,” she advised.
“It’s easier said than done, especially if you come from a social background, and you’ll be judged throughout your life.”
Burke’s long-awaited return to the ballroom comes three years after she took her final bow as a professional.
“I work on the show with as much passion now as I did when I was involved with it. Except this time, I don’t have to choreograph after hours,” she said of embracing the show as a viewer versus a contestant.
“I don’t have to stress and ask myself every two seconds if enough is enough. I’m willing to let go of that part,” she said with a laugh. “But the show has really evolved, and it’s really beautiful to see the community really rally around the show.”
“Dancing with the Stars” will air again next Tuesday at 8pm ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
