Cheryl Burke Found Dancing With the Stars Semifinals ‘Underwhelming’: ‘I Gave No Tens’

Cheryl Burke Found Dancing With the Stars Semifinals ‘Underwhelming’: ‘I Gave No Tens’

Veteran Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke, who spent 25 seasons on the show, did not hold back in her critique of the season 33 semifinals, describing the episode as “underwhelming” and devoid of standout performances.

Speaking on her Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, which aired the night after the semifinals, Burke shared her disappointment. “I gave no tens, not even close, because no one deserved it,” she said. “And I’m not being negative or bitter; this is just how I see it. The semifinals are usually so special because contestants are fighting to give everything they have—it’s one of their last chances. But I didn’t feel that tonight, except for [Ilona Maher].”

Burke’s Honest Take

Burke expressed frustration with multiple elements of the episode, including costumes, music choices, video introductions, and the dances themselves. She also felt the full-cast opening number, choreographed by Sasha Farber and Ezra Sosa, fell short. “I wanted more,” she admitted. “But hey, you can only do so much with so little time.”

Despite her overall disappointment, Burke praised Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher, calling her performance “definitely her best dance” and a proper example of semifinal-worthy effort. “This is how you do the semifinals,” she said.

Constructive Criticism for the Rest

Burke had feedback for the other competitors and their pro partners:

• Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson: Burke pointed out Graziadei’s “cockeyed, weird position” with his head. “You’re not supposed to look at your partner for this exact reason. You have to look where you’re going—your feet and your eyes need to align.”
• Danny Amendola and Witney Carson: Burke critiqued Amendola’s Viennese waltz for lacking smoothness. “If you look at his footwork, he’s not gliding. He’s not making love to the floor with his feet,” she explained, adding that flexing his knees more would help.
• Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold: Burke noted a mismatch between choreography and the contestant’s personality. “If you know there’s no chance in hell of bringing out the sexy in Stephen, don’t force it,” she said. Burke also felt the addition of two “sexy” backup dancers only made Nedoroscik’s discomfort more apparent, and the music didn’t suit the routine.
• Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong: Burke was unimpressed with the video package that introduced their performance. “This is what I mean by throwing a bunch of nothingness into a semifinal package. It’s disappointing,” she said.

A Hopeful Finale

Despite her critiques, Burke expressed hope that no couples would be eliminated ahead of the finale. “When I asked my Threads who they wanted in the finale, there wasn’t one standout answer—it was everyone. People love all the couples,” she said. Her wish came true, as all five couples advanced to the final round.

Cheryl Burke Found Dancing With the Stars Semifinals ‘Underwhelming’: ‘I Gave No Tens’

Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson earned the only perfect score of the night but remain tied with Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong on the overall leaderboard. As Burke pointed out, the competition for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy is wide open.

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.

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