TV Tattler: Celebrity Interviews
Third Time a Charm for 'Dancing' Star Cheryl Burke?
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March 19 -- We last spoke to Cheryl Burke right before her third season victory with partner Emmitt Smith.
It was a second consecutive win for the ballroom pro, after winning the previous season alongside former boy-bander Drew Lachey. This time, she's paired with 'Beverly Hills 90210' alum Ian Ziering and is looking to make good on a "three-peat."
Burke took time away from a grueling rehearsal to tell AOL Television editor Geoff Bennett about the recent national tour and what she and Ian have in store for this season.
Here we are at the start of another 'Dancing With the Stars.' What have you been doing with your time off? Do you still compete outside of the show?
I stopped competing after I started doing 'Dancing With the Stars.' But I had a week off in Hawaii for Thanksgiving after last season, went on tour, had five days off and now I'm back into fourth season.
During last season's finale, it seemed Emmitt was intent on letting you keep that trophy. Did you end up taking it home?
We actually both got one, which was very nice of the producers.
They didn't give you anything else for being a two-time winner?
(Laughs) No, but I have two trophies now right on top of my television.
This season, you are paired with Ian Ziering. How are the rehearsals going so far? Is he picking up all the steps?
It's going well. He's very motivated and he's really into this competition. He wants to try his best to win it, and he has a lot of drive and discipline. It's just great to work with people like that.
How were you two paired? Did you have any influence in the decision, now that you've proven yourself as a competitor?
No, not at all. The producers basically picked based on personality and who fits well together.
Have you been able to size up the competition? Who do you think is ahead of the pack?
I've met some of the other celebrity contestants, but I haven't seen anyone dance just yet.
What is your rehearsal schedule like?
We are dancing about twice a day. We do about two to three hours for the first part, have an hour break and do another two to three hours.
You just finished the national tour. Did it take long to get used to living on a bus?
We were living like rock stars. We had beautiful tour buses. It was about eight dancers on one bus, which isn't actually that bad because we had eight bunk beds and two living spaces. It was a great experience because you never realize how many people watch the show until you actually do something like this.
How big were the crowds?
We would go to venues where there were about 10,000 every night watching, screaming and loving it. We never realized how many people tune in until we went on tour.
Did you have any run-ins with crazed fans?
It's been great. People would come in holding posters. Some would jump up and start dancing. Every night we would get a standing ovation, and people just seemed to love it.
What will your first dance with Ian be?
We are dancing a cha-cha. He's got the choreography. Now it's about being able to dance to the music, adding all the different arm styles and being able to get comfortable enough so it looks like he's having fun.
I think in the beginning, everyone is so into it. But as the competition starts winding down, you're basically with each other every day, so you really have to work well together and be able to communicate because that person is your life for the next four months or however long you are in the competition.
What will do you this time around to set yourself apart from seasons past?
I'm just going to do the same thing I've done the last two seasons -- and that's to bring something out in Ian that people love to see and what he feels comfortable doing, as well. I don't want to make anything too hard on him or challenge him too much because then he's not going to look like he's having fun. In the beginning, you get frustrated but it's important to stay patient and have fun.
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