Cheryl Burke – A Dancing Star

Dancing with The Stars two time champion Cheryl Burke is bringing dancing back. The sexy way. Her Paso Doble and Samba are perfection having won back to back competitions with her celebrity partners Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith. Dancing with The Stars two time champion Cheryl Burke is bringing dancing back. The sexy way. Her Paso Doble and Samba are perfection having won back to back competitions with her celebrity partners Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith.

In April this year, Cheryl opened up her own dance studio in San Francisco called the “Cheryl Burke Studio” with help from her mom and Mayor Gavin Newsom. Today, she is on Season 7 of Dancing with The Stars, hoping to reclaim her title.

ASIANCE: I know you grew up in California. Were you born there?

Cheryl: I was born in San Francisco. My family still lives there. I went to school there. I went to high school there.

ASIANCE: Your mom is Filipino?

Cheryl: Yes my mom is Filipino, Dad is Russian Irish.

ASIANCE: Are your parents professional dancers? Did they push you into dancing or did you just do it on your own?

Cheryl: No not professional. My mom has always loved to dance since she was a little girl. In the Philippines, her mom couldn’t afford to actually put her into dancing lessons. When she had me, it was very important for her to do other extracurricular activities besides school, so she put me in every sport. I danced as well and did ballet. I just fell in love with it from the beginning.

Watch Cheryl and Drew Samba

ASIANCE: How did you get cast as a professional on Dancing with the Stars?

Cheryl: They saw me dance in a dance competition in Los Angeles. They wanted to recruit more professional dancers and they asked me to be a part of it. At the time, it was my partner and I’s last dance competition. I thought, “Why not?” Let’s just try it out. I didn’t realize it was going to be a life changing experience.

ASIANCE: Do you have a favorite partner yourself?

Cheryl: No so much a favorite. Everyone has brought something different obviously. My first partner, Drew Lachey, he was my first partner ever. I’ll never forget that. It was my first time being on television and being in front of the cameras like that. So it was definitely my most memorable. Everyone has brought something different. I’ve experienced something new with everyone.

Cheryl and Drew’s winning dance

ASIANCE: How about any favorite contestant?

Cheryl: It’s different. You can’t really pick and choose. Even after I had Emmitt. Emmitt was a completely different character than Drew was. I had Ian and then Wayne Newton was my first older partner. Last season I had Cristián de la Fuente and he broke his arm. Every experience was different so I can’t really pick and choose.

ASIANCE: Do you ever get nervous before a dance?

Cheryl: Oh my god yes. I get more nervous for my partner than I do for myself. Just because I know I’ve done this before but I know my partner must be freaking out because they never danced before, especially in front of millions of people.

ASIANCE: Was Carrie Ann Inaba an inspiration growing up? She’s Asian. One of the first professional known dancers?

Cheryl: I honestly didn’t know who Carrie Ann was. I was into the Ballroom world. I didn’t know her until I started the show.

ASIANCE: Is there any celebrity who you would like to see come on the show?

Cheryl: I love athletes. For me, training with the athletes is always the easiest because they know what it takes and they are very disciplined. I think a guy tennis player would be good. Like Andy Roddick. He would be really good for the show.

Cheryl and Emmitt dancing the Mambo

ASIANCE: Was it hard to adjust to the fame and the paparazzi?

Cheryl: Yes. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. I think having people follow you around. It is something new to me and it’s something I’ll never get used to. Just always having to look out for who’s looking at you is always going to be something I’ll never adjust to. You just have to take it as it is and you just can’t let it get to you.

ASIANCE: Any weird fan moments?

Cheryl: Not too much. Everyone has been really cool and supportive. There are a couple. I don’t know if they are stalkers, but they’re on myspace and email. I don’t get too into it. They want a response from you and sometimes it’s not appropriate.

ASIANCE: What is your favorite dance?

Cheryl: I specialize in the Latin dance. Every dance has a different character to it. I like the Latin better than the Ballroom. And the music in the Latin is a lot livelier.

ASIANCE: What is the hardest to teach?

Cheryl: I think all of them are. With anyone who hasn’t danced before, every dance is really hard. There is technique to everything but I think that Ballroom. You have to be in a hold and it’s very restricted. It’s kind of hard for people to adjust to that, especially when you go out and are used to dancing at clubs. Then when you try to do Ballroom dancing, it’s restricted.

ASIANCE: Was there a costume that you completely hated on the show?

Cheryl: No because we really design our own costumes. At the end of the day, we have a lot of say in what we wear. I would never design something that I don’t feel comfortable wearing.

ASIANCE: What about your favorite?

Cheryl: Oh god I’ve done so many seasons now. I like all the Latin costumes. A lot of them were great. When Drew and I did our freestyle with the horse riding and cowboy outfit, I liked that one because it wasn’t too much of a Latin costume.

ASIANCE: Who do you hang out with on the show usually?

Cheryl: Everyone. We’re all really close. The dancers are really close. A lot of the celebrities dance at the clubs. We really bond.

ASIANCE: What was is like working with Brenda Song on the Suite life with Zack and Cody?

Cheryl: She’s great. She’s so nice. She made me feel so welcome. I did it almost 3 years ago but when I run into her, she always makes sure she says hi. She is a very sweet girl.

ASIANCE: Where do you want to take dancing? Besides Dancing with The Stars

Cheryl: I really want to promote physical fitness. It’s really a great way of exercising, especially for kids. I started at the age of 4. I think it’s really great to put your kids into dancing. At the end of the day, it introduces you to people and it’s great exercise.

ASIANCE: Are you dating anyone?

Cheryl: No (laughs)

Cheryl’s official page www.strictlycheryl.com”
Cheryl’s dance studio www.cherylburkedance.com

Cheryl’s photos ABC/ADAM LARKEY