See Cheryl Burke Return to Dancing With the Stars After 3 Years

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No trick, just a treat: Cheryl Burke is back in the ballroom.

At 41, the dancer returned to Dancing With the Stars for the show’s Halloween night episode this season. The former professional dancer, who has won the Mirrorball Trophy twice, was a guest judge—her first time on the ABC series in three years.

Cheryl hinted at her return the week before the Halloween-themed episode, and appeared dressed as [costume details].

In a TikTok video posted on October 21st, she expressed how thrilled and thankful she was for the chance. Addressing her many new followers, she explained that she’s a professional who has been involved with the show for 26 seasons, adding with a playful tone that she likely started before many of them were even born.

The dancer has been a part of Dancing With the Stars since its second season in 2006, when she and her partner, Drew Lachey, won the show. She then won again the next season, this time with former NFL player Emmitt Smith.

No trick, just a treat: Cheryl Burke is back in the ballroom.

On the October 28th episode of Dancing With the Stars, 41-year-old Julianne Hough returned to the ballroom as a guest judge. This was her first time appearing on the ABC show since leaving as a professional dancer three years ago, and she brought her expertise as a two-time champion to the judging panel.

Being back home feels incredible, and speaking to everyone in the ballroom, I really wanted to share what truly matters to me. I believe we should all strive for genuine expression in our dancing – focus on the technique, but most importantly, dance with everything you have, like it’s the last time. It’s about pouring your heart into every movement.

Cheryl, dressed as Cleopatra for Halloween, will give feedback to the remaining contestants: Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Elaine Hendrix, Danielle Fishel, Jen Affleck, Jordan Chiles, Dylan Efron, Andy Richter, and Whitney Leavitt.

Whitney went first, and Cheryl complimented her and partner Mark Ballas on their performance to Green Day’s “Brain Stew.”

“Your choreography, Mark, amazing,” she told him, “the best I’ve ever seen.”

Cheryl had teased her return the week before the spooktacular episode.

She shared in a TikTok video on October 21st that she was incredibly excited and thankful for the opportunity. Addressing new fans, she explained that she’s a professional who has been part of the show for 26 seasons, adding with a touch of humor that she likely started appearing on the show before many of them were even born.

The dancer first appeared on Dancing With the Stars in 2006, winning the competition with Drew Lachey. She then won again the next season, this time with former NFL player Emmitt Smith.

Cheryl shared that after years of dedicated dancing in that ballroom, it meant a great deal to her to be invited back—not to compete, but to pass on her knowledge and passion to others. She emphasized how much she valued the opportunity.

Since finishing up on Dancing With the Stars in 2022, Cheryl has been concentrating on her podcasts, Burke in the Game and Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, and prioritizing her own health and wellness. Earlier this year, she revealed she’d lost around 30 to 35 pounds, which prompted her to address and disprove rumors about her appearance.

She’s back on Dancing With the Stars looking noticeably different. She recently showed off a new haircut – a bob with bangs – and earlier this year revealed she’d lost around 30 to 35 pounds. She later clarified some speculation about her appearance.

Cheryl recently responded to online speculation in a TikTok video, clarifying that she hasn’t used Ozempic, isn’t ill, and hasn’t had any cosmetic procedures like a face transplant or brow lift. She directly addressed the rumors circulating in the comments section.

What bothers me the most,” she said, “is people keep saying they miss the ‘old me.’ Are they talking about the Cheryl from ‘Suite Life of Zack & Cody’ back in 2006, or when I was on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ at 21? Or maybe they mean the version of me from three years ago, when I was getting divorced?”

The dancer, who divorced Matthew Lawrence in 2022 after three years of marriage, explained, “I’m sorry to say, but the person I used to be, ‘Cheryl,’ is gone.”

She’s not only changed her look, recently getting a bob with bangs on October 2nd, but she’s also experienced significant personal growth.

Cheryl later shared her general thoughts on life transformations.

Okay, so she totally gets it. I was scrolling TikTok and she said something that just hit me. She was talking about how there’s no guidebook for figuring out what’s next, which, hello, truth! But then she explained how she just… let go, you know? Like, stopped trying to control everything and just trusted that things would unfold as they should. It wasn’t about being passive though – she was still aware of what was happening, really intentional about it. And that’s when it clicked for her – she realized it was time to move on. Seriously, it was like she was speaking directly to me! It’s so inspiring.

Read on for secrets about Dancing With the Stars…

In 2019, Variety reported that contestants on Dancing With the Stars initially earn $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks of the show, with payouts increasing weekly for those who continue. Sources indicated a potential maximum earning of $295,000.

However, Bobby Bones, who won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018, claimed he earned significantly more.

On Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast in September 2025, Bones revealed the payment structure: no money for the first episode, $10,000 for the second, and escalating amounts—$10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000—potentially reaching $50,000 per episode if a contestant lasts. He also mentioned a base salary of around $110,000, and stated he ultimately earned nearly $400,000 from the show.

ABC has not officially confirmed these figures.

Details about how much the professional dancers earn aren’t widely available. However, like the celebrity contestants, it appears they make more money the further they progress in the competition.

Even if a pro is eliminated early on, they still receive payment.

Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of The Morning After podcast with Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester, “You’re guaranteed a salary for a certain number of weeks.” She also added, “Contracts vary, so I can’t speak for everyone.”

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 receive a bonus. Winning doesn’t come with a large cash prize to split with their celebrity partner—it’s mostly about the trophy and bragging rights.

That doesn’t seem to be true. Dancer Lindsay Arnold shared on the 2022 podcast Trading Secrets that her pay was reduced by more than half when she moved from being a professional dancer to a troupe member.

Professional dancers have very little say in who they’re partnered with on the show. As Lindsay explained on the Hot Smart Rich podcast with Maggie Sellers in May 2025, pairings are simply assigned – “Here’s your partner. 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. The show aims for surprise, and dancers don’t even know who’s in the cast until they meet their partner, despite what people might think. According to former showrunner Rob Wade, the Dancing With the Stars team considers height, body type, personality, and compatibility when making matches. They avoid pairing people who are likely to clash, as the experience is too demanding. Unlike shows like The Bachelor, the goal isn’t drama; they want a positive experience for everyone involved – the celebrity, the production team, and the viewers. They’ve learned from past mistakes where incompatible pairings led to a miserable experience.

Dancing With the Stars requires a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who danced with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis that rehearsals typically last four hours, either 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 – she often spends additional time meeting with producers, working on choreography, or studying dance videos. Rylee says she dedicates her entire life to the show, but she loves it and finds it incredibly rewarding. The schedule is demanding, with rehearsals happening Tuesday through Sunday, camera blocking on Monday, and then another show day on Tuesday – it’s a job with no days off.

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

Oh my gosh, you think the quickstep is fast? You have NO idea how fast the costume department works! I read an interview with Daniela Gschwendtner, and she said they basically create a whole story for each couple’s outfit! Then they sketch, and get this – they have FIVE DAYS, max, to make all the costumes! Half a day per costume, and that’s before even adding the rhinestones! It’s a huge operation – about 20 people in her department, plus a whole separate tailor shop! Steven Norman Lee said the dancers often don’t even try on their costumes until just hours before they’re on stage! They might reuse pants for the guys sometimes, but everything is pretty much custom-made every single week. Daniela also said they’ll reuse things for group numbers or photoshoots, but never for the competition itself. They really want to keep everything fresh and new each week so it stays exciting for us viewers – it’s just incredible how much work goes into it!

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2025-10-29 03:50