Cheryl Bautista Burke (born May 12, 1984) is a
professional dancer based in New York City. She is
best known for winning the second and third seasons
of ABC's American version of Dancing with the Stars
with Drew Lachey (February 2006) and Emmitt Smith
(November 2006).
Early life
Growing up in San Francisco, California, Cheryl came
from a family that loved to dance. At four years
old, she began taking ballet lessons and performing
throughout the Bay Area. When she was eleven, she
discovered ballroom dancing and decided to change
her focus. She began training in both standard
ballroom and latin dances. By the age of thirteen,
Cheryl was competing and traveling all over the
world. She graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School
in 2002. Cheryl is of Filipino, Irish and Russian
descent.
Dancing
For Cheryl, dancing is a way of life. It
provides a medium for her to express her inner
feelings and passion all the while maintaining focus
and composure during extremely high-pressure
situations. It is dancing that has made her such a
competitor (both on and off the floor) and made her
strive for perfection in anything that she sets out
to do.
Cheryl says that her dancing style is unlike anyone
else's. She takes pride in being a "rule breaker"
and feels that her greatest achievements in dancing
are still to come.
Dancing With The Stars
Burke made Dancing With The Stars franchise
history by becoming the first professional dancer to
win two championships, accomplishing the feat in
back-to-back seasons of the US series. Burke won her
first championship with 98 Degrees boy band member
Drew Lachey in the second season, and she won her
second championship with retired football star
Emmitt Smith in the third season. Cheryl Burke's
feat has never been done before by anyone in any of
the Dancing With The Stars franchises world wide.
Awards and honors
Honors include 2005 World Cup Professional
Rising Star Latin Champion UK Championships and 4th
in U.S. in the "Under 21s." Last year, Cheryl won
the Dancing With the Stars title, with Drew Lachey.
She also won the third season with Emmitt Smith.
Cheryl Burke was nominated twice for Outstanding
Choreography on the 2006 Emmy Awards, making her the
youngest nominee in that category.
Outside Her Dancing Career
Cheryl lives in Los Angeles and is now receiving
many Hollywood offers. Although her calendar is
filling up, she recently returned to her childhood
home in the Bay Area to support local schools. In
March 2006, she helped the International School of
the Peninsula (ISTP) in Palo Alto, CA, raise
$250,000 for its educational programs. The following
weekend, along with DWTS runner-up Jerry Rice, she
helped Menlo School raise funds for their school. A
one hour dance lesson in her house ballroom sold for
$31,000. Cheryl and her family are known for their
volunteering and philanthropy. Cheryl, along with
Louis Van Amstel and Ashly DelGrosso, appeared on
the September 22, 2006 episode of The Suite Life of
Zack and Cody, titled "Loosely Ballroom". |
