After three years away from the ballroom, “Dancing With the Stars” alum Cheryl Burke is stepping back into the spotlight and opened up about a deeply personal story fans never knew.
The two-time Mirrorball champion will return to DWTS as a guest judge for the Halloween Night episode on Oct. 28, marking her first time back since retiring as a professional dancer in 2022. In an emotional Instagram announcement, Burke shared how meaningful the return feels.
“It’s been three years since my final dance and official retirement, and I still remember that night like it was yesterday,” she wrote. “To return now, from the other side of the floor, is something I’ll never take for granted.”
Burke added that DWTS has always been her home. “The people, the energy, the stories told through movement—it’s where I found my voice long before I ever used it offstage,” she continued.
Fans and friends flooded the comments with excitement. “SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BACK!!!! 🤍” one fan wrote. Former DWTS host Tom Bergeron commented, “I’ll be watching! 🥳,” while another user added, “I’m so happy my favorite pro dancer will be back in the ballroom as a guest judge!”
Returning Home to the Ballroom
Burke first joined “Dancing With the Stars” in 2006 and appeared in 26 seasons, earning two Mirrorball trophies along the way, per Parade. She described being invited back to the show as “a dream,” adding in a YouTube video that she’s “beyond grateful” to offer her experience and perspective from the other side of the judges’ table.
“Honestly, to be invited back, not as a competitor but as someone who can hopefully share my knowledge, my experience, and my love for the craft of ballroom dancing—it is truly such an honor,” Burke said. “I don’t take this lightly whatsoever.”
Her return comes after a brief period of distance from the show. In 2023, Burke revealed that she hadn’t been invited to take part in the tribute dance honoring late judge Len Goodman, though she later emphasized her ongoing appreciation for the series. “To return now, from the other side of the floor, is something I’ll never take for granted,” she reiterated in her Instagram post.
A Personal Reveal Years in the Making
Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesAlongside her DWTS comeback, Burke also reportedly opened up about her real name and the reason she decided to change it as a child.
In an August 2022 TikTok video, Burke revealed that she was born Stephanie Burke in 1984, named after her late father, Stephen, while her middle name, Cheryl, came from her mother, Sherri. But after being bullied by a classmate named Stephanie in middle school, she asked her parents to legally switch her first and middle names.
“There was a girl in my middle school who bullied me named Stephanie,” Burke shared. “So I decided to make my legal name Cheryl Stephanie Burke.”
That decision, she said, marked the beginning of her transformation—reclaiming her confidence and shaping the identity that would later make her a household name in dance.
Now, as she returns to “Dancing With the Stars”, Burke says the experience feels like coming full circle. “I’m beyond grateful to reconnect with so many people I spent close to two decades of my life with and can’t wait to meet this new generation of dancers and celebrities bringing their stories to life on that iconic floor,” she wrote.
Burke will make her return to the ballroom during the Halloween Night episode on DWTS, airing live Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Tom was the best host. Stopped watching when semi-professional dancers competed against dancers with no training. Should have stayed amateur vs amateur!!!