Cheryl Burke, a seasoned professional dancer and a familiar face from 26 seasons of “Dancing With the Stars” (DWTS), has recently shared some straight-talking advice for anyone considering joining the celebrity dance competition. Speaking on her tell-all podcast, “Sex, Lies and Spray Tans,” Burke didn’t mince words when it came to navigating relationships while on the show: “Be single if you do ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ That’s all I’m saying.”
Burke, reflecting on her extensive experience on “Dancing With the Stars,” openly admitted to having developed romantic feelings for partners on the show on three separate occasions. She attributes these intense connections to the demanding and intimate nature of the DWTS rehearsal schedule. Partners are thrown together for grueling hours, often up to eight hours a day, seven days a week, for as long as three months. This intense environment, Burke explains, accelerates relationship dynamics. “You’re not like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s cute.’ Like, no, no, I either like you or I don’t, because you’re constantly [together] eight hours a day, seven days a week,” she elaborated.
The “Arranged Marriage” of Dance Partners on DWTS
However, Burke clarifies that not every dance partnership blossoms into romance. She humorously describes the pairing process on “Dancing With the Stars” as an “arranged marriage.” The professional dancer and the celebrity contestant are matched, and from that point on, their chemistry can swing in either direction – they might “love each other or hate each other.” Regardless of initial feelings, the demanding schedule and close physical proximity necessitate making the partnership work. “It’s so intimate, and you’re stuck with this person,” Burke stated. “Like, you better try and make it work at least.”
Navigating Relationships and Vulnerability on the Dance Floor
The complexities of these partnerships become even more pronounced when contestants enter “Dancing With the Stars” already in committed relationships. Burke recounted an instance where a married celebrity contestant confessed to developing a crush on their married dance partner. While Burke indicated that nothing transpired physically between the pair, the mere suspicion of an emotional affair cast a shadow over their respective families.
Burke emphasizes the inherent vulnerability required for success on “Dancing With the Stars.” Celebrities must “strip it all down” emotionally to connect with their partners and the dance. This level of exposure and intimacy, she suggests, can be unfamiliar and potentially challenging even within established marriages. “You get close in so many ways,” she explained. “These celebrities are so vulnerable, because in order to succeed you have to strip it all down. And that alone? I bet you most of these married celebrities have never even done that with their wives.”
Interestingly, Cheryl Burke’s own romantic history is intertwined with “Dancing With the Stars.” She met her former husband, actor Matthew Lawrence, when she was partnered with his brother, Joey Lawrence, on season three of DWTS. While their marriage ended in divorce in 2022 after three years, Burke also acknowledges that “Dancing With the Stars” has been the backdrop for lasting love for some couples. She mentioned Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec, Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart, and Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev as examples of DWTS partnerships that blossomed into genuine, long-term relationships. Despite these success stories, Burke’s advice remains clear: for the sake of minimizing romantic complications and maximizing focus, perhaps entering the “Dancing With the Stars” world as a single individual is the wisest move.
