Dancing with the Stars recently wrapped its 33rd season on the 2024 TV schedule, naming Joey Graziadei as the winner along with his pro partner Jenna Johnson. Whether you were rooting for the former Bachelor or wondering why your favorites fell short, the dancers can just be glad the critiques are over. However, the same can’t be said for the competition’s judges. Cheryl Burke fired shots at Derek Hough and the rest of the panel for not being experts, saying they need to be able to back up what they tell contestants.
Cheryl Burke is best known for her long-time stint as a professional dancer on DWTS. She won Seasons 2 and 3 with her celebrity partners, and she has appeared on a total of 26 seasons, so it’s fair to say she knows what she’s talking about. She’s not afraid to get real about the performances, and she doesn’t go easy on the judges either, as she called out Derek Hough specifically on her Sex, Lies and Spray Tans podcast. When asked by a fan if she thought the judges should be more strict about technique, Burke said:
Yes, however, you have to know what you’re talking about, right? So they have to be able to back up whatever they say. Whichever judge speaks it doesn’t matter, but If you’re just saying things because you know it’s the right terminology and you can’t explain yourself as to why it should be a certain way, then it’s kind of hard. Unless they get judges that have more ballroom experience than some of the current ones that are seated there as of last season. You can’t really be more strict in a genre that you’re not an expert in.
Cheryl Burke pondered if a lack of knowledge about ballroom might be the reason that other genres like contemporary have been featured more often on the show, and she even suggested that the panel be proactive in staying informed, continuing:
I think that just like the pro dancers have to continue to educate themselves on their craft, I also feel like the judges should do the same. Like, I also think Derek should take his adjudicator’s exam. Carrie Ann should do it. So should Bruno. I think that’s important, and why wouldn’t you want to do that after all these years if you weren’t as familiar with the genre, why don’t you familiarize yourself with it?
This wasn’t the first time Cheryl Burke went after Derek Hough this season (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription). After the semifinals she called him out on her podcast for his lenient judging, remarking that “Derek is just giving everyone 10s tonight.” She said (via E! News):
I’m shocked at Derek’s scores, especially tonight. Being the main head judge, you’re supposed to call out technique when you see it, and now this is twice where he’s turned a blind eye to it.
Specifically, she mentioned Derek Hough’s glowing feedback of Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson’s foxtrot, to which Cheryl Burke said:
I’m a little shocked about Derek’s comments about how it was one of the best foxtrots of all time and that his frame should be in a museum, when clearly it wasn’t a perfect frame. It wasn’t perfect. I’m pretty sure any ballroom coach, judge or adjudicator would agree. There’s no opinion when it comes to frame. It’s either right or it’s wrong.
In my very humble opinion, it does seem like the judges are sometimes grading on a curve or taking the celebrities’ progress into account. However, Cheryl Burke wishes they would maybe take more of a straightforward approach. Now that this season is over, we’ll have to see if the judges take her advice and make any changes when Dancing with the Stars returns for Season 34 on the 2025 TV calendar.
