DWTS’ Cheryl Burke Defends Carrie Ann Inaba Against Critics

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Cheryl Burke isn’t two-stepping around her thoughts.

The two-time winner of Dancing With the Stars is defending judge Carrie Ann Inaba against criticism from fans.

Cheryl noted in a recent interview with Variety that the scrutiny directed at her feels harsher compared to the attention given to her male counterparts. She added that this has been a consistent issue, and the actress has previously discussed the challenges she faces as a result.

Cheryl, a professional dancer on the show for 31 seasons before leaving in 2022, understands what viewers are saying and praises Carrie Ann for consistently giving honest opinions.

She acknowledged experiencing a similar dynamic, but noted a difference in how it plays out for women versus men. She emphasized that speaking up shouldn’t be about seeking external validation, but rather about doing one’s job effectively. Ultimately, she believes this person is competent and performing well in their role.

Okay, seriously, I’m SO excited for Cheryl to be a guest judge on Halloween night! And she’s already teasing what her judging will be like?! She’s letting us know what to expect from her scores, and honestly, I’m living for it. I need to mentally prepare for potentially brutal honesty, but I know it’ll be fabulous. I can’t wait to see what she thinks of everyone’s performances!

She told Variety she wants to inspire and uplift people, but also offer helpful feedback when needed.

Carrie Ann, a judge on the show since its first season, has been responding to criticism about how she scores the contestants. After some viewers accused her of giving Dylan Efron a better score than Robert Irwin on the October 14th episode, she explained her reasoning and stood by her decisions.

On October 15th, the 57-year-old responded to a fan online, saying it’s perfectly fine if people have different opinions about the show. They explained that differing viewpoints are actually a positive thing and make the show better, as viewers get to choose what they enjoy and support through their votes. They finished by thanking the fan for sharing their passionate and honest feedback.

Viewers are just as enthusiastic about the judges, including Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli, as they are about the professional dancers. That’s why, even though Carrie Ann hasn’t been overly complimentary, Danielle Fishel’s partner, Pasha Pashkov, is respecting her scoring decisions.

Pasha believes judging on Dancing with the Stars is incredibly difficult. He explained to TopMob News that offering casual opinions online is very different from making a public decision with millions watching, especially knowing it could lead to criticism. He emphasized the pressure of assigning scores and potentially facing a negative reaction is a real challenge.

For more secrets behind the show, keep reading…

As a lifestyle expert, people always ask me about the finances behind reality TV, and Dancing With the Stars is a big one! Well, reports from 2019 suggested contestants earn around $125,000 just for the rehearsals and the first couple of weeks. If they stick around, the payout increases weekly, potentially reaching a maximum of $295,000. However, Bobby Bones, who won season 27, shared some interesting details on Jason Tartick’s podcast in 2025. He revealed that while there’s no money for the first episode, it jumps to $10,000 for the second, then gradually increases – $10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000 – and could eventually reach $50,000 per episode if you make it far enough. He personally ended up earning close to $400,000! It’s important to remember that ABC hasn’t officially confirmed these numbers, but it gives you a good idea of the potential earnings.

Details about professional dancers’ earnings aren’t widely available, but like the celebrity contestants, they generally earn more the further they progress in the competition. Even if a pro is eliminated early, they still receive payment. Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of The Morning After podcast with Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester that dancers are guaranteed pay for a certain number of weeks, although contracts can vary. She noted she couldn’t speak for all the professionals.

It seems professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars don’t earn extra money for winning the show, despite taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. However, there’s still a financial benefit to reaching the finale. According to pro dancer Cheryl Johnson, who has won twice (with Adam Rippon and Joey Graziadei), dancers are paid for the entire season if they make it to the end, and they also receive a bonus. Winning the competition doesn’t come with a large cash prize; it’s mostly about the honor of the trophy itself.

That doesn’t seem to be what happened. Dancer Lindsay Arnold shared on the 2022 podcast Trading Secrets that her pay was reduced by more than half when she moved from a principal dancer to a member of the ensemble.

Professional dancers have very little say in who they’re paired with on shows like ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Lindsay explained on the ‘Hot Smart Rich’ podcast that it’s essentially a surprise – you’re simply told who your partner is and expected to make it work. Jenna added on ‘The Morning After’ that the pairings are usually kept secret until the last minute to capture a genuine reaction. They don’t want the dancers to know who their partner is, or even the full cast, to avoid leaks. According to former showrunner Rob Wade, the pairings are based on practical factors like height and build, as well as personality and compatibility. The goal is to avoid mismatches, as forcing a pairing of people who don’t get along would create a miserable experience for everyone involved – the celebrity, the show’s team, and the viewers. They’ve learned from past mistakes where incompatible pairings led to a negative experience.

Dancing With the Stars requires a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who partnered with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis that rehearsals are four hours long, typically from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. But the work doesn’t end there—Rylee often meets with producers, works on choreography, or studies dance videos. She says it takes over her whole life, but she loves it and is passionate about it. The schedule is relentless: after Tuesday’s show, it’s rehearsals from Wednesday to Sunday, then camera blocking on Monday, before starting the cycle again with another show on Tuesday.

Emma Slater and Britt Stewart confirmed in a September 2025 Instagram video that they were mostly on board, but it involved working with the show’s producers.

If you think the quickstep dance is fast-paced, you should see how quickly the costume department works! Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner explained to TV Insider that they collaborate with set, lighting, and dance teams to create a unique story for each dancer’s outfit. Then, they have just five days – sometimes only half a day per costume, before even adding rhinestones – to create everything. With a team of around 20 people plus a separate tailor shop, it’s a huge undertaking.

Steven Norman Lee, another costume designer, shared that dancers often don’t try on their costumes until just hours before the show. While they might occasionally reuse pants for the male dancers, most costumes are made from scratch each week.

As Gschwendtner added, they do reuse items for group performances or promotional photos, but never for the actual competition. The goal is to keep everything fresh and new each week to maintain visual interest.

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2025-10-24 15:47