Dancing with the Stars has featured many dance professionals through its 31 seasons in the United States, including Cheryl Burke.
Burke was the first female dance pro to win a season of the show, the first to win twice, and the first to win consecutive seasons, making her a legend in the ballroom.
Her celebrity dance partners have included NFL star Emmitt Smith, 98 Degree singer Drew Lachey, reality TV star Rob Kardashian, and actor/comedian Drew Carey.
After helping many celebs figure out their footsteps and movements on the dancefloor, Burke called it quits on her DWTS career.
However, sometimes it’s difficult for professionals to walk away from what they love. Pro athletes Michael Jordan and Tom Brady retired, then unretired from their sports of choice because they just weren’t ready to hang it up.
Many fans are still wondering if Cheryl Burke might return for Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars to try to add more Mirrorball trophy wins to her career accolades.
Will Cheryl Burke be back for Season 32 of DWTS?
Professional dancer Cheryl Burke announced her Dancing with the Stars retirement last season. Her announcement arrived after 26 seasons of helping celebrities improve their dance skills on the ballroom floor.
Burke, 39, concluded her time as a dancing pro with the DWTS series after Season 31 finished, calling it “one of the absolute hardest decisions” to make.
In November 2022, she released a statement on her official Instagram, saying the show had become like her “2nd family” since she was 21. She debuted on DWTS in 2006.
Burke indicated she was excited to begin the next steps in her journey, which included expanding her “commitment to mental health advocacy” and a “new found love for podcasting.”
“This has truly been the experience of a lifetime. I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career, but man will this one be hard to beat! Until next time,” Burke wrote to conclude her caption after expressing love and gratitude towards the show’s cast and crew.
Burke won the Mirrorball trophy alongside NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith in Season 2 and collected a second-straight win with singer Drew Lachey in Season 3.
She shared a clip of her “last dance” and “final bow” from November 2022 during Season 31 of DWTS.
With that, she seemingly closed the door on her DWTS career, although there’s always that “never say never” phrase which comes into play. Although she hasn’t indicated, Burke could always return as a surprise guest during Season 32. She could also become one of the show’s judges or hosts someday.
Who is on Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars?
Monsters and Critics previously gave details on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars, the popular dance competition’s 32nd. Burke wasn’t the only dance pro to leave the show.
In addition, Mark Ballas, 37, announced that he would retire from DWTS after 20 seasons. Per E! Online, the Emmy-nominated dance pro announced the news during the final leg of the Dancing With the Stars live tour in March 2023.
Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough will be the show’s judges for Season 32, following the passing of longtime DWTS judge Len Goodman. There won’t be a replacement judge for Goodman, but various guest judges will appear throughout the season.
After co-hosting Season 31, actor and TV host Alfonso Ribeiro will now host DWTS, replacing Tyra Banks. Former dance pro and judge Julianne Hough was announced as his co-host.
As far as the celebrities and dance professionals, full details don’t arrive until September 13 on Good Morning America. However, Monsters and Critics reported Val Chmerkovskiy confirmed his and his wife’s return to DWTS, and he also suggested that his sister-in-law, Peta Murgatroyd, might return.
In addition, Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix was previously revealed as one of the show’s celebrities competing in Season 32.
Dancing With the Stars is currently on hiatus on ABC and Disney+.