WEBVTT - Dancing with…Cheryl Burke 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:18.400 Oh Hello, I am Danielle Fischel, whose name is not 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:20.760 only in the title of this show, but I'm also 0:00:21.079 --> 0:00:24.360 a TV director, a podcaster, a mom of two, and 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:28.440 now called Tapanga by cool teen girls at my local Menchi' 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:32.080 yogurt shop thanks to Dancing with the Stars popularity on 0:00:32.159 --> 0:00:36.680 TikTok and God bless them for that, and maybe, just 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:40.680 maybe they're following along with my journey thanks to this podcast, 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:44.919 where I am chronicling my entire process learning things like 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:49.519 the Argentine tango and what compression leggings are, all in 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.400 the hopes of holding a Len Goodman mirror Ball trophy 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:55.960 above my head like a seasoned hockey player finally drinking 0:00:56.040 --> 0:00:59.040 champagne out of the Stanley Cup. And along the way, 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:03.040 I will be chatting with prose, former contestants, modern peers, 0:01:03.080 --> 0:01:06.800 and absolute legends in hopes that the knowledge can get 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:10.959 me even closer to that final boss and unexpected victory. 0:01:11.520 --> 0:01:16.080 And this week I say the word legend with extra emphasis. 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:19.040 She joined Dancing with the Stars in season two and 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:23.280 participated on the show for a whopping twenty five seasons, 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:26.840 setting her as the professional with the most seasons to 0:01:26.920 --> 0:01:30.040 her name. She has two mirror Ball trophies to go 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:33.640 along with that distinction, and worth noting those victories were 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:39.240 in her first and second seasons, so learning curves be damned, 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:42.160 and now she will be making a triumphant return to 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:45.840 the ballroom to be guest judge for the upcoming Halloween Night, 0:01:46.319 --> 0:01:49.400 a yearly tradition that constantly proves itself as one of 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:54.080 the most entertaining and sometimes unpredictable of the year. It 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:57.200 would be impossible to mention Dancing with the Stars as 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:00.920 a franchise without mentioning my guest this week. I'm honored 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:04.720 to be sitting with a pioneer of the competition, Cheryl Burke. 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:08.359 Hi. I was just gonna I was about to say 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:12.839 how impressed I am with you. Oh so impressed. I'm 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:14.200 an Argentine tango snob. 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:16.280 Are you thank you? Okay? 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:18.560 I really want to talk to you about it, because well, 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:21.120 for one thing, your opinion means a great deal to. 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:25.200 Me, and and two I have I have. 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:27.920 My feelings on it, but you know, I know, I 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:32.560 know absolutely nothing, and I know Pasha is like Argentine 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:34.560 tango is just his thing. 0:02:34.880 --> 0:02:36.920 Also like similar to you, the. 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:38.640 Best partner for Argentine tango. 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:39.480 He really is. 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:41.760 I mean, he's I think he's just the best partner period. 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:44.200 But I mean, I just can't say enough wonderful things 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:44.679 about him. 0:02:45.280 --> 0:02:46.000 But so I do. 0:02:46.080 --> 0:02:47.840 I want to talk to you about the Argentine Okay, 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:49.600 but I'm going to save it for a little bit 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:53.240 later because I want to jump into right away this 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:58.440 very big announcement that you are returning to the Dancing 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:02.160 with the Stars ballroom. How excited are you to be 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:04.600 in a judge's chair for Halloween Night? 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:07.160 Oh my gosh, first of all, just to be in 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:10.960 the judge's chair, just to hear that. It's so surreal. 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:13.919 I you know, just a little backstory for any new fans, 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:15.200 because there are tons of them. 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:17.080 Oh yes, you know. 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:19.720 I started back in two thousand and six. I did 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:23.680 twenty a total of twenty six seasons, but including juniors, 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:27.480 so technically I guess I've only had twenty three partners 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:31.679 if you really want to analyze it. But it has 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:34.680 been such a my It's been two decades of my 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:37.560 life basically, right, So most of my life I've been 0:03:37.600 --> 0:03:42.000 on the show, and I have, you know, gone through 0:03:42.040 --> 0:03:45.720 it just emotionally. As far as now being a fan right, 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:49.800 because like though, of course you know, I retired, it 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:54.600 was my decision, It's still such an emotional journey, even 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:56.440 if I'm not a part of it anymore, and to 0:03:56.520 --> 0:04:01.200 be able to come back, the show has really like 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:04.080 in a way, started over, but has a whole new 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:07.880 fan base and is so popular, and I'm just so 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:11.360 happy for the show. I've been back here behind my 0:04:11.440 --> 0:04:14.600 screen just cheering everybody on because I know what it 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:18.600 takes and I know how grueling but yet how life 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:20.440 changing this experience is. 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:23.200 Absolutely well, they are lucky to have you in that 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:26.000 judge's chair. I'm so excited to see you there next week. 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:32.080 Having had Kim Johnson there two weeks ago and everyone 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:35.120 loved her in that fourth chair. I think you're going 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:37.120 to be able to bring the same thing she brought, 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:39.640 which is you have been on all sides of it. 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:43.960 You do know it from the inside. You have worked 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.360 with the celebs. You know what it takes to teach, 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:51.760 to win, to struggle, to sometimes disagree with your partner. 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:55.120 You know what it's like to you know, not have 0:04:55.160 --> 0:04:58.000 control over your music, not have control over what your 0:04:58.040 --> 0:05:01.640 production is that week, to have very strong thoughts about 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:05.080 things and not necessarily get your way and to have 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:10.640 very legitimate tips for all of us about what we 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:13.960 can be doing to improve because you have had to 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:20.799 teach twenty three partners and you won in your first two. 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:22.800 Seasons back in nineteen sixty two. 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:24.520 Don't do it. 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:28.680 Don't age like that, you know, Yes, I mean when 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:31.400 you put it like that, yeah, I know. I know 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:35.840 exactly what it's like. Even if the show has changed. 0:05:36.080 --> 0:05:40.080 Obviously we all evolve, things evolve, but it's still back 0:05:40.160 --> 0:05:43.840 to the foundation of what the show is, which, like 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:47.599 I said, is an emotional rollercoaster. But if you allow it, 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:51.000 if you surrender to the experience and trust the process 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:55.680 and just take it like literally one step at a time, 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:58.559 don't even think about the dance, like think about what's 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:02.120 what's your next one, your next step like, because you're 0:06:02.160 --> 0:06:04.960 at the point now or Talloween night and you're getting 0:06:05.040 --> 0:06:08.599 introduced to two dances and this ain't gonna get easier, 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:12.280 you know. But what is going to get easier is 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:14.839 you know what it's like. Now, you know what it's like, 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:17.640 And this is where you really have to trust the 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:21.359 process and literally just surrendered to Pasha, which is easy 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:22.760 to do because he knows what he's doing. 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:27.680 Yes, I've been saying trust the Pasha and trust the Pasha. 0:06:27.800 --> 0:06:28.280 I love that. 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:31.160 It's a little spin on trust the process, but it works. 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:34.400 And I just I have, I have just when he 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:38.160 tells me to do something, I go okay, and and so. 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:38.840 How do I do that? 0:06:38.920 --> 0:06:40.680 And you know, this last week was a was a 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:43.600 good experience, a good opportunity to show that because I've 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:45.880 never done lifts, aside from the. 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:47.760 Fact that I've never done any sort of dan. 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:50.640 You don't end in that dip every night, so we have. 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:53.920 Never been nose to the ground before like that. 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:57.760 So yeah, your nose to the girl round. He got 0:06:57.839 --> 0:06:59.000 you well. 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:05.880 During rehearsal, we actually were we were millimeters from my 0:07:06.000 --> 0:07:09.320 face hitting because even better, Yeah, I know, And I 0:07:09.400 --> 0:07:11.600 was like, do it again, but but this time I 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:14.000 won't put my pands there because like, as you know, 0:07:14.040 --> 0:07:15.600 you can have like a thousand thoughts go through your 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:17.360 head in such a short amount of time. And we 0:07:17.360 --> 0:07:19.560 were spinning in the air and we had so much momentum. 0:07:19.600 --> 0:07:21.280 And then I could tell based on the way he 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:23.760 rolled me that he did not actually have me. 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:26.040 And I was like, oh, the wood floor's going really goodly. 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:28.520 And and it got to about right here and he 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:32.520 was literally he's gripping my leg like this, and I. 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:36.040 Put wearing tights right, I was wearing slippering. 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:38.280 Yes, And the dress was you know that, like Mesh, 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:40.560 and you looked stunning. 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:44.160 Thank you so much, stunning. Thank you? 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:46.160 Who's doing your makeup this season? 0:07:46.320 --> 0:07:47.040 Lois? 0:07:47.480 --> 0:07:49.320 She's amazing. I mean they're all amazing. 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:50.400 They're all amazing you. 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:54.480 But Luis so underrated the Department of because. 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:56.200 Yet they're Emmy winning, And I agree with you. 0:07:56.680 --> 0:07:58.440 I mean they need to win Oscar. I mean, not 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:00.480 like the show was Oscar worthy, but you know what 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.560 I'm saying. I know they're just like when whenever they 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:04.800 don't win, I'm just shocked. 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:07.080 Correct. That is the feeling is how do they not win? 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:07.680 Every years? 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:10.400 It's there to ask you a question. Yeah, did you 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:11.320 request Pasha? 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:15.920 I did not request Pasha. I actually requested someone else 0:08:16.880 --> 0:08:18.800 and I didn't get my wish. 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.720 Okay, do you have any regrets? 0:08:21.800 --> 0:08:22.080 Zero? 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:38.240 When you were on the show, was Halloween Night always 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:39.120 a favorite for you? 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:43.280 I am a passionate person. 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:46.360 Okay, because you don't know that about me, it comes 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:47.320 across and I love it. 0:08:48.080 --> 0:08:54.400 I love those passionate, sultry, dark dances. I think that 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:58.280 there's something obviously I don't. You know, I never liked 0:08:58.280 --> 0:09:00.680 to fake emotion when I perform. So this is why 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:03.120 I hate the jive for example, because I'm like, sometimes 0:09:03.120 --> 0:09:05.120 I don't feel like I want to be all happy, 0:09:05.200 --> 0:09:08.640 go lucky all the time. You know, it's easier for 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:10.840 me to find that like dark place for some reason. 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:14.760 But the dark I like to turn into fire and 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.760 like passion, especially the music. It's all about the music, right. 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:19.320 You can give me a you can give me a 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:22.080 passionate dance and then have like some campy song and 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:24.880 I'm just like, oh what I waste? Like you said, 0:09:24.920 --> 0:09:25.600 we have no choice. 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:27.880 Sometimes sometimes you're just handed the song. 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:31.960 You're handed that a lot, and it is what it is, 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:35.520 just the process. But I love Halloweend for that now. 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:39.920 I don't like getting scared, like I the Oscar movie 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:42.079 in my head sometimes because I you know, I live 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:45.360 alone with my with my French feet, and I mean 0:09:45.600 --> 0:09:47.440 it would be shocking if I ever put this to 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.640 pen or to paper, my thoughts of like what could 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:53.520 happen to me at night? And just like I can't 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:56.680 even watch like it's the music. I've realized it's the music. 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:58.480 It is the music. 0:09:58.679 --> 0:09:59.960 The action, it's the music. 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:02.720 If you mute a scary movie, you can watch it 0:10:02.760 --> 0:10:04.040 without any emotion at all. 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:05.520 You're like, oh, oh, yeah. 0:10:05.440 --> 0:10:07.559 But David Arquette did Dancing with the staras he took 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:09.840 all of us to Hollywood Horror Nights, and I wore 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:11.640 air pods or I don't even know there was air 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:14.439 pods back then, but anyway, I wore headphones headphones and 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:16.720 literally people just kept popping out. I mean, I was like, 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:18.000 I was totally fine. It's the music. 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:20.480 It's music, really smart, really smart. 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.280 If I get asked to go to those things with 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:24.520 friends all the time, and I'm like, guys, I don't 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:24.920 want to. 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:27.120 Be the fuddy duddy, but I don't want to do that. 0:10:27.200 --> 0:10:30.000 I don't like spending any time of my leg jumping 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:33.960 out of my skin, with my cortisol spiking and like 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:37.000 my heart racing. I don't want that. That does not 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:39.280 sound like an enjoyable Is anyone interested in going for 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:39.760 a meal? 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:43.199 Are you hungry a good old conversation? 0:10:44.080 --> 0:10:44.280 Yeah? 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:49.079 Right right, Like I know, I agree, And by the way, 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:52.319 if you want to take it further, like imagine. I mean, 0:10:52.360 --> 0:10:54.840 it's so easy now a days just to you know, 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:59.000 be that person who goes crazy. I'm not even gonna 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:00.960 put it out there. All you have to do is 0:11:00.960 --> 0:11:03.360 like wear a screen mask and you're screwed, like you never. 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:05.840 Know, correct, you never You're right. 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.120 I don't want to put myself in at any situations 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.440 where that becomes easier. I want to talk to you 0:11:11.640 --> 0:11:15.760 specifically about some of your own Halloween dances, mainly your 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:19.280 Oingo Boingo performance with Jan Pablo to Dead Man's Party. 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:21.840 Oh my god, do you remember God? Of course I 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:26.040 remember it. I'm gonna be Cleopatra. Halloween nights are again. Yes, 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:29.720 I want. I want to be able to get that 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:30.880 head piece, but I don't think I can. 0:11:31.120 --> 0:11:33.720 Oh, it's reach out to Oh really, I was gonna say, 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:34.520 reach out to Danielle. 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:35.880 Maybe they still at it somewhere. 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:38.040 I know. I see what my stylence comes up with. 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:40.480 But it's so weird like that, I don't have fittings. 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:43.880 Like the whole thing. It's gonna be like home, going home, 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:46.160 but it's also going to be like, Wow, this is 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:50.480 a different perspective, which I'm so excited to, uh experience. 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:53.120 Totally do you remember, well, I guess, I guess. You 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:56.360 know remember those otfs where remember those? 0:11:56.440 --> 0:11:59.920 Of course, I remember those those master interviews. I basically 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:02.400 interview myself. When I got COVID and I danced for 0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:06.240 my living room, I had to do my own master interview. 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:07.240 How did that happen? 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:09.120 I mean, how did that work when you got COVID 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:11.119 and then you were dancing from your living room? 0:12:11.800 --> 0:12:15.920 I don't know, because it was actually I was like, 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:18.439 oh wait, I could do different jobs on this show, 0:12:18.640 --> 0:12:20.560 not just teach. I was like I could be the 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:25.280 set director, I could be a field producer. Probably. I 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:27.960 just felt like it was really fun. Though. What wasn't 0:12:28.000 --> 0:12:31.240 fun was being like out of breath of two seconds 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:34.920 right exactly and yeah, and having to teach. What they 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:37.240 didn't show was the next week we had two dances 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.360 and I had to teach my partner Cody via Zoom 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:42.360 both dances because he was still in New York and 0:12:42.360 --> 0:12:43.720 he couldn't fly because he had COVID. 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:51.000 Oh my gosh, teaching via Zoom dance drive. 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:53.120 Wow, never forget it. 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.679 There's some different dances too, like on opposite ends of 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:57.559 the spundrooms. 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.959 Well, we still had COVID now, oh, God of luck. 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:04.079 Yeah, but that is really bad. How did dancing? 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:06.320 Would the stars first enter your life? How did they 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:08.160 reach out to you and ask you to come be 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:08.640 a pro? 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:12.520 I was a competitor, so I had just turned pro 0:13:12.679 --> 0:13:15.440 in the industry of ballroom dancing, and I was living 0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:19.959 in Harlem at the time with my dance partner, Slush Boyfriend, 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:25.240 and I was We went to compete in a competition 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:29.880 in Los Angeles called the California Open, and I remember 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:32.800 seeing Season one had just wrapped, and I of course 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:36.000 watched it, you know, because it had like Charlotta Jorgensen, 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:40.080 who was I think she won with John and Hurley. Yeah, no, Kelly, No, 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:46.120 she won first anyway, whoa Anyway, then I saw Louis Yeah, 0:13:46.160 --> 0:13:49.800 like I said, nineteen sixty one, Louie was on and 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:51.640 I was like, oh, this is not going to last long. 0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:55.080 I said, this is kind of cheesy. I was like, hey, 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:57.000 but more power to them, but I'll never do it. 0:13:57.080 --> 0:13:58.920 I had, like I was at the height of my career. 0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:03.199 So you know, in the industry, the judges, the adjudicators, 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:06.160 they expect your partnerships to last long, right, So when 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:08.680 you always constantly switch or you pause and then you 0:14:08.760 --> 0:14:10.599 come back, you kind of start all over again, and 0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:14.640 that is a longer journey. And I felt like I 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:16.440 was literally at the peak of my career and I 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:18.960 did not. I would have never because someone did ask me, 0:14:19.120 --> 0:14:21.360 just like casually, like would you ever do that? I'm like, no, 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:24.800 unless my partner decides to leave me, Like no, I wouldn't. 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:27.840 And I also knew it was going to be temporary, 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:30.800 but same with my dance career, but not as temporary. 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:32.440 I didn't think it was going to last twenty six 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:34.440 or sorry, I didn't think it was gonna last however 0:14:34.480 --> 0:14:36.240 many seasons? How many seasons? Is it? 0:14:36.320 --> 0:14:40.280 Thirty four and twenty years? 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:43.480 Yeah, I can't wait till they celebrate the hundredth season. 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:45.120 We're all going to come in with walkers. 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:47.880 Oh god. 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:52.000 But yeah, So they saw me compete, and I think 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:54.240 they wanted to recruit more dancers for season two because 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:57.400 they only had six couples for season one. Then they 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.960 jumped up to seas twelve couples. And so I went 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:04.840 in for an interview. Okay, so I don't I had 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:08.120 no voice, like not like meaning like you asked me 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:11.280 what my favorite color was, no idea I had no identity, 0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:14.960 poor little Cheryl, I had no identity. You know, I 0:15:15.120 --> 0:15:18.800 was very much okay, I guess, with just not being 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:20.920 a leader in that sense, like this is the ballroom. 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:24.240 This was no longer, but this was I would say 0:15:24.240 --> 0:15:26.960 that ballroom industry words. It was a man's the world. 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:29.760 Not so much now at all. But you know, my 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:32.480 partner was like twelve years my senior, and it's like 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:34.640 I he was used to being a pro. I had 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:38.200 just turned pro. So like I didn't think for myself ever. Ever, 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:40.960 So when I had to cut in and do an interview, 0:15:41.000 --> 0:15:45.640 when my little pink fringe spaghetti like fringe costume with 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:52.280 my short little hair, I was so nervous I could 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:54.960 barely talk. I had like a little mousey voice. So 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:57.840 I do credit Dancing with the Stars for giving me 0:15:57.920 --> 0:15:58.400 my voice. 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:03.760 Wow were you at the time twenty gosh so young? 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:06.720 I know, I was twenty one. I auditioned and then 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.720 I started when I was twenty one. My goodness, forty one. 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:15.280 Now, I mean, what a beautiful story and relationship then 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:19.080 that you liked All relationships a bit of a roller coaster, 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:23.120 I'm sure highs and lows, but what a yeah, like anything, 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:25.600 But what an amazing thing to be able to look 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:30.000 back at twenty year old you and recognize a totally 0:16:30.040 --> 0:16:34.560 different person totally and to say, while of course hopefully 0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:38.400 giving yourself a lot of credit, of course, but to say, 0:16:39.040 --> 0:16:41.840 had not if not for this show coming into my 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:44.200 life at twenty, who knows how long it could have 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:47.320 taken for you to break out of a very male 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.400 dominated space and to start to find your voice. So 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:53.840 what a gift that was, and what a beautiful thing 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:56.400 that you're even able to recognize it and acknowledge it. 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:59.600 That's so yeah, absolutely, I mean, like the I had 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:01.880 to I had to speak up for myself, like there 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:03.880 was no there was no way around it. Though. It 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:05.680 took me a couple of years, but it was like 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:07.679 it was training one on one, like I had to 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:08.760 do this. I was on a show. 0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:11.960 Wow, So they hire you, and now you pretty much 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:14.560 immediately change your mind. You go, I'm you had gone 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:16.960 from saying I will never do that show to deciding 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:18.800 to accept doing the show. 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:20.800 How did that go over with your partner? 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:23.240 Right? 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:27.359 Yeah? Okay, So actually I was going to go back 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:29.639 to my partner to my Competitive Live after season two 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:31.800 because there was no pick up yet right away, at 0:17:31.880 --> 0:17:33.399 least to season three. But we knew it was going 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:35.960 to happen. However, it was still another year right for 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:39.800 that to happen. So but because we were involved romantically, 0:17:39.800 --> 0:17:41.960 it's just all I'll say, it's just got a little slucky, 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:46.040 got fettle messy and got messy and just didn't work unfortunately. 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:50.760 But again I'm grateful for everything in my life. Also 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:51.800 wouldn't be here today. 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:52.679 Right yeah. 0:17:52.960 --> 0:17:55.280 Okay, So you then you end up going back to 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:57.160 the show. You win your first season, by the way, 0:17:57.280 --> 0:18:02.040 hello incredible. You then go back after you did your 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:06.160 first season, did your mind kind of change about the show? 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:08.840 Did you then start to recognize like, I think they've 0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:09.720 got something here? 0:18:09.920 --> 0:18:12.440 I think it right away? Okay, it changed right away. 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:15.520 It changed from the moment because I mind you, Michael 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:17.280 was never to be on TV. I was going to 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:21.080 be a ballroom different. I was gonna if when I retired, 0:18:21.119 --> 0:18:25.199 because you know, as women you retire probably thirties. I 0:18:25.240 --> 0:18:27.280 was going to just dudicate like I was going to 0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:28.159 let you know, right. 0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:29.879 So old, so old got to retire. 0:18:30.560 --> 0:18:32.879 But that's it is what it is. Especially as women, 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:35.600 men have a way longer of a career than women. 0:18:35.600 --> 0:18:37.840 It's like athletes, right, Like you can only go so 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:42.040 long unfortunately, but within that time, you don't think about 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:44.920 what's next. You just are in it, you know. And 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:49.080 that is another conversation we'll have because there is that 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:51.359 missing piece where it's like, oh my god, now what 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:54.200 because I still have my whole life ahead of me exactly. 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:56.399 I know, I've retired from this thing I've been doing for, 0:18:56.640 --> 0:18:59.439 by the way, twenty years, and now and now what 0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:00.320 do I do? 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:02.640 What do I dedicate myself to? Yeah? 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:06.720 Really really learn how to set boundaries? Now what what 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:07.520 does that mean? 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:08.920 Totally? 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:09.440 God? 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:09.600 What? 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:12.320 Even just learning what a boundary is is like such 0:19:12.320 --> 0:19:15.480 a learning curve when you're a young woman who has 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:19.119 basically been at the whim of adale and. 0:19:19.119 --> 0:19:21.080 I literally just learned it. 0:19:21.200 --> 0:19:23.720 I also just learned it. Well, feel like I just 0:19:23.800 --> 0:19:26.240 learned it about ten years ago in my in my 0:19:27.080 --> 0:19:30.640 mid in my early thirties, thirty fourish, I was like. 0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:35.800 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I've had no I've had 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:36.680 no boundaries. 0:19:37.000 --> 0:19:40.240 Oh right, oh and I'm allowed no, no, it's a 0:19:40.240 --> 0:19:42.320 complete sentence. Wait what yeah? 0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:43.440 Yeah? Really crazy. 0:19:43.760 --> 0:19:45.800 As long as you learn it, that's all that. 0:19:45.720 --> 0:19:49.600 Matters, absolutely absolutely better late than ever. In your first season, 0:19:49.640 --> 0:19:51.560 you were paired with one of my favorite people in 0:19:51.560 --> 0:19:56.879 the world, Duliship. I love him so much. Uh, and 0:19:56.960 --> 0:20:00.439