Cheryl Burke Suggests DWTS Judges Need More Training

Cheryl Burke has a strong opinion on how to bring Dancing With the Stars back to its more competitive and thrilling roots: she believes it’s time for the judges to refresh their skills. When asked by a fan on the Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast if the judges should be stricter about true ballroom dancing, Burke quickly agreed, saying, "Yes."

However, she stressed that the judges need to truly understand the dance styles they’re judging. It’s not enough to simply use the right dance terminology—they need to be able to explain their choices and reasoning. Burke pointed out that it’s difficult to enforce stricter standards in a field where the judges aren't experts, especially if they lack ballroom experience.

Having danced professionally for 26 seasons on DWTS, Burke has earned the right to offer her thoughts on the show’s judging panel, which includes long-time judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and newer addition Derek Hough. But Burke doesn’t just criticize; she also proposes solutions. She believes that, like the dancers themselves, the judges should keep learning and improving. One of her suggestions is that all the judges should take an adjudicator’s exam—a test administered by the National Dance Council of America to certify individuals as qualified judges for national dance events. The exam tests knowledge of dance theory, judging protocols, and various dance styles.

Despite their impressive dance careers, especially Hough’s record of most wins in DWTS history, Burke argues that no one can remain proficient without continuous effort. She suggests that the current judging panel’s lack of constant education in ballroom dance might explain why the show has shifted away from its traditional focus on this style. She even notes that in the most recent season, there were very few sambas, a dance she particularly loves, compared to the many contemporary routines.

It’s easy to forget that Dancing With the Stars was originally based on the British show Strictly Come Dancing, which has always maintained stricter standards when it comes to ballroom and Latin dance performances and judging. Over time, however, DWTS has loosened its approach. The death of Len Goodman in 2023 marked the end of an era, as Goodman had been a key figure in maintaining high standards on both shows.

In the most recent season, Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson triumphed with a near-perfect score of 59 out of 60. However, Burke feels that such high scores might be part of the reason the show has lost some of its edge.