The scores given by judges during the Dancing With the Stars season 33 were questioned by fans and now, former professional dancer Cheryl Burke is questioning their expertise, especially in the ballroom dance division.
“You have to know what you’re talking about, right?” Cheryl, 40, said on the Wednesday, December 4, episode of her “Sex, Lies and Spray Tans” podcast of current DWTS judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli. “They have to be able to back up whatever they say. 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.”
Cheryl, who made her DWTS exit in 2022 after 17 years on the show, also noted that since the judges aren’t trained in ballroom dance, they “can’t really be more strict” while critiquing their celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners.
That being said, Cheryl didn’t slam the knowledge that Derek, 39, Carrie, 56, and Bruno, 69, have attained over the years – but she did encourage them to continue their education, especially in niches they’re not as familiar with.
“Just like the pro dancers have to continue to educate themselves on their craft. I also feel like the judges should do the same,” Carrie continued. “I think that’s important, and why wouldn’t you wanna do that? After all these years, if you weren’t as familiar with the genre, why don’t you familiarize yourself with it?”
Dancing With the Stars has changed since the series debuted in 2005. While an older demographic used to make up the viewership of the series, younger fans have learned to love and tune into the competition.
Season 33 wrapped in November, with former Bachelor Joey Graziadei taking home the Mirrorball trophy alongside partner Jenna Johnson. Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher and professional partner Alan Bersten finished in second place, while entertainer Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong earned the third place title.
Joey, 29, reflected on his journey on Dancing With the Stars via Instagram after soaking in his big win for a few days.
“Jenna, from the bottom of my heart I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for crafting the experience of a lifetime. Thank you for pushing me to be better than I thought I could ever be. Thank you for believing in me and making me feel like I belonged in a room full of exceptionally talented people,” the former tennis pro captioned his December 1 post. “I mean it when I say that you have changed my life for the better. No one can question your creative genius and talent. You truly deserve this and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Dancing wasn’t the only form of entertainment as unconfirmed romances brewed between partners Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko and former Bachelorette Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber. Fans may have been refreshing their social media accounts to see the pairs’ cozy content with one another, but fellow professional dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy slammed showmances after the season ended.
“Long time ago, my first couple of seasons, I’ve been given partners that I did have romantic exchanges with — incredibly unprofessional to do so in my mind,” Val, 38, said during a Tuesday, December 3, episode of the “Lightweights Podcast.”
He even reflected on his marriage with Jenna, 30, whom he wed in 2019, later adding, “I’m very serious about my job and my craft. And so to have allowed myself to get involved during—now after this season, that’s different. We’re both adults, we’re not at work. But during the season, I feel like that was a bit irresponsible at times.”
