Cheryl Burke, 30, is one of the two professional dancers on Dancing with The Stars who have stayed the longest. She and Tony Dovolani have been on the show since 2005. Burke has always been extremely fit and what I consider skinny, however she’s received flack throughout the years for her shape. Back in 2008, DWTS pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Louis van Amstel publicly shaded Burke and fellow dancer Lacey Schwimmer for not being reed thin. It must have hurt, although Burke has always maintained that she keeps a positive body image and does not try to be tiny.
Burke Instagrammed this photo (below) from her vacation a couple of weeks ago. She looks a little like Lisa Rinna, but that could be due to the angle. In response, mean Instagram users started bashing her for her weight loss and what looks like plastic surgery. Burke told multiple outlets that she just adopted a healthier lifestyle to lose weight and that she hasn’t had any work done. It sounds like the negative comments have hurt her feelings, and that she’s trying to deal with it.
During an appearance on Access Hollywood this week, Burke said she lost 25 pounds by simply eating healthier and exercising more.
“I’ve seriously had no plastic surgery,” she told Access Hollywood co-host Kit Hoover on Wednesday, July 16. “I used to get bullied as a kid for having big ears and big lips and they would call me monkey face. So I’ve always had the big lips.”
Burke defended herself, in part, because of the backlash she suffered after posting a bikini selfie via Instagram while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on July 7.
“People just went crazy,” the 30-year-old explained. “I was surprised that no one really stuck up for me either. It really just messes with your head honestly.” (Some of the hate-filled comments received were “you look anorexic” and “what the hell happened to you?”)
The negative feedback didn’t leave Burke in tears, but it has left an affect on her. “I do constantly look in the mirror and say, ‘Oh, I have a fat roll here. Or am I skinny enough or am I fit enough?'” she said. “Now I just have to let it go and as long as I feel good and I’m happy that’s all that matters.”
To People, Burke admitted that the comments have hurt her. She said “Have I lost weight? Absolutely. But not in an unhealthy way. I want everyone to know that. I love my fans. But words are hurtful, especially coming from people you think always have your back.” She added that she’s using portion control to lose weight and is eating right, and that she isn’t “on Atkins or anything.”
I asked a friend who is an avid DWTS watcher to comment on Burke’s weight loss and she said “How can she lose weight? She was always so skinny to begin with. Actually she’s the perfect shape.” My friend also thought that Burke was in her late 30s, but that’s due to the fact that she’s been on DWTS since the beginning. (Plus Burke wears a lot of makeup, I suspect she would look younger with lighter makeup.)
Burke also looked great to me “before,” I didn’t think she had to lose weight at all. I wouldn’t criticize her for it, especially in her industry. This is a woman who works as a professional dancer and who is constantly being critiqued for her shape. I admire that she’s open about how she feels vulnerable when people say horrible things, but I also think she should just be more careful about what she shares online. This reminds me of Wednesday’s story on Rose McGowan. Rose lashed out at people needlessly, but the issue is that these type of comments can be made in the first place. Can’t Burke use WhoSay or something? They seem to have more controls in place so that people don’t get needlessly bashed. Or, you know, she could limit her use of social media.
As far as plastic surgery, Burke’s face just looks thinner to me. She’s had those lips for years, but of course it’s possible they’re not all natural.
photo credit: WENN.com and Pacific Coast News
I don’t watch that show, so I didn’t know who she was, but to me, she looked better before. She resembles Rancic, now, in the face. Maybe it’s the make-up?
I think the darker hair suited her better as well.
Agree! Found a picture of her with no makeup from 2011:
http://www.people.com/people/cheryl_burke
That’s what I thought too!
She looks the exact same to me in the before and after. Am I missing something?
Is it the eyes maybe? Or is that just the eye makeup?
I have the same problem. I can’t see the difference. Also I’ve never seen her before so maybe that’s why I can’t notice it.
I agree, she looks the same to me, just new hair etc.
I didn’t either until 2 years ago, she looks better to he heavier and her curves are in the correct places. lol
It’s a known fact, that dancing helps the whole body to become leaner and stronger, she was also counting calories —so the weight loss is easy for her, she dances 8+ hours a day.
She looks good either way, but I prefer the heavier weight look on her bone structure.. Because her body fat, would still be less than the normal person… IMO
I agree with you!
Cheryl though fluctuate in her weight – she gains and she loses but never looks outrageously big or thin.
I like Cheryl – she has a very nice and successful dance studio in San Francisco; she is also very active in her private life including running the marathon.
I wish people would just stfu and leave Cheryl alone – she is a great person and a darn good dancer and dance instructor!
She has done this for a few years now…gains some weight, loses some weight! I do the same thing! She looks healthy and lovely… The problem is that women are constantly judged on their looks. Its disgraceful…
BS. It was a lot more than weight loss. How did her lips gain 2 pounds?
I appreciate that she admits to reading her own press. Her lips do look a bit fake, but I know a 3 year old with those exact same lips, so it is not necessarily plastic surgery. (No, her mom is not the “Toddlers and Tiaras” type). If they are real it would be ironic if she had surgery to make them look more natural.
I do not know her, but the only thing she should have changed is whoever is dressing her.
She’s only 30? I would have guessed 5-6 yrs older.
The internet can be a horrible place. When you post selfies and put yourself out there for really no reason sadly people take that as an invite to spew. She need to do herself a favor and stop reading what strangers say. Most of which would rather post something negative than positive. I don’t know why these people spend so much time reading someone else’s random thoughts. People you will probably never meet.
Other than the weight lose she looks the same. Everyone screams plastic surgery all the time. I think about all those make-over shows when they take someone and do a complete do over and the person looks completely different.
makeup, and different hair styles and colors can make someone look different without the go to accusation of plastic surgery or botox.
shaming is terrible but so are selfies.
looking forward to the day when the over-sharing and the look-at-me eases up.
Agree.
why do people have to be so rude? celebrities are people too. I think she looks pretty either way and I don’t really see why people are insulting her.
I don’t see the ‘weight loss” part? To me her (great) body looks the same in 2013 and 2014 O.o
I can’t see it either! Maybe those aren’t the best before and after photos?! She has a short waist and wide hips… but nowhere near overweight in the ‘before’ photo. And Im not just being nice and “pro-curves” or whatever.
Yeah she seems to be fit, just like I imagine a professional dancer body is supposed to look like?
I don’t see a 25 lb weight loss. Maybe 10? She’s petite and a few lbs on her looks like 10 on someone else. I think she actually looks better with a little weight. She’s fit as hell. I don’t know why people have to judge her so much. I always thought she and Lacey were the best dancers on that show.
Check back we go through this with cheryl every off season. I call it pr produced
If you don’t want people to make negative comments about your looks you shouldn’t invite it by posting selfies.
That last pic is bizarre. It looks like one side of her face is reacting to a bee sting.
Exactly. I don’t post pictures of myself or my family on the internet, ever. Too many creeps, weirdos, pedos and just plain nasty people. Besides, it just seems so narcissistic and self-absorbed, do people really need and want validation from strangers? Why?
This is mean but since she put herself out there, I think she is painfully unattractive. She does have a good body so good for her, but the face….not good in my opinion.
She’s always been affected by the comments (not blaming her, who wouldn’t be?) but hopefully she’ll get to the place where she doesn’t so much.
Cheryl’s is a curvy shape, when she puts on weights it hits hips, butt , boobs and back. That selfe looks weird only because of the angle. People really should think a bit more before commenting on a celebrity’s account. She’s fit and healthy and hopefully she’s found a good weight for her so that she doesn’t continue to yo-yo too much, not that it was extreme or anything.
I was pissed at the male DWTS dancers for their comments back when. I still think how f**ing dare they?
Exactly feeble. She’s curvy. She is “bigger” than some of the other girls, but her stomach is flat and she has a body that is aspirational. You look at her and think if I dropped 20 and danced my ass off i might look like that. More so than the super tiny dancers. i can see the weight loss in her face and her collar bone area but you can’t see it in the glitter dress. She has always had full lips but they do look slightly enhanced, methinks. Oh and forgot to add – -Maksim (that overrated douche) was looking quite chunky and out of shape at the beginning of last year until he danced off his excess. What goes around …
Cheryl was always my favorite dancer, and I always appreciated that she wasn’t stick thin. She is very petite , maybe 5’2 or 5’3. She must be close to 100 pounds or even less now. I am not sure what to think. She must have always been an avid exerciser and dancer. So was she eating fast food all along and just started to eat healthier? I kind of find it hard to believe that she wasn’t on a stringent diet, but I will give her the benefit of the doubt.
I think she was a drinker. Or at least she had the rep of attending a lot of parties. Lots of empty calories there. Anyway her body looks better but her face looks worse. All in all she looks a little better with more weight. Her choice though
@Mike: Exactly. She went through a period where she was drinking and partying a lot. As a result, she lost focus on dancing and her health.
Why did she have to say that about having big ears? I never noticed them before, and now I look at her and see “ears”.
Cheryl has ALWAYS been the hottest of anyone on dwts in my opinion, and that’s saying a lot because all the dancers are stunning! I wouldn’t even think twice about going gay for this girl she is that attractive. I hope she doesn’t take these pathetic hateful losers comments to heart. “Even if you are the sweetest, juiciest peach there’s always someone who doesn’t like peaches.”
I always thought that it was nice that “shaplier” women were accepted in the pro dancing world. Not at all like a Broadway show audition where perfection is required for the dancers. Cheryl and some of the other gals, can’t remember names, were not fat, but pleasingly round yet fit as hell. It would give younger dancers something to aspire to other than being ballerinas. I also like the fact that a lot of the males seem to be hetero sexual.
Ugh! I always hated that Maxim a**hole. What a jerkoff. Her and Lacey are fit and healthy and he needs to go die under a rock.
I read somewhere that DWTS wanted her to drop pounds, shrug. They’ll never admit it though.
she looks fine
Actually, Cheryl did go through a period where she had picked up weight, was partying a lot (alcohol bloat), and wasn’t training as much. Those seasons, all of those facts became evident in her dancing (lethargic) and choreagraphy (stale and redundant). As an avid DWTS fan during those periods, I was a little concerned about this change, I was worried that she was going through some personal things. Luckily, it seems like she is back at a healthier place now.
It wasn’t so much of an issue about her gaining weight, but that she was clearly not living a healthy and dedicated lifestyle as a dancer.
i saw cheryl up close and personal about 5 years ago at the mohegan sun the morning after a DWTS’s show we went to see.
she walked in front of me while i was sitting in the lobby waiting for friends.
she was wearing velour sweats, and a thin wooly top and sneakers walking hand in hand with that blonde model contestant she dated for a time.
she was super thin, tiny waist, but TINY – maybe a size 4.
she is not tall…i’d guess 5’2″?
some may think she isn’t “thin” when standing next to super tall super skinny dancers like edyta – who isn’t on the show anymore but was dancing that night alongside cheryl.
but that’s only because she isn’t tall…she’s compact…and just lovely.
that said, she looks great still and i hope that she didn’t trim down even more in an unhealthy way.
as for her face…
it is different and some of that may be due to weight loss, but i think she’s had some “refreshing” done.
like a chemical peel and maybe lipo under her chin.
i hope that she isn’t in an unhealthy spiral.
i wish her well.
BTW…she is the BEST female dancer on the show – HANDS DOWN!!!
She is very small..@Bella is correct-she has a JLO or Beyonce body shape. In other words, no matter how thin she is, she will have a curvy shape simply because of her body type. She is not a “ruler” shape. And that is just fine. I like all body types. I wish it wasn’t this way for us women. Men walk around in Speedos and we cringe at a tiny “roll”. If you want to see a true goddess, look in the mirror, girls. Really look.
agreed @kri.
this world is crazy expecting all women to be tall and ruler-shaped in order to be declared thin and lovely.
it’s daunting for women and does a number on the psyche!
the older i get, the more i realize and resent the unreasonable unfair standard inflicted on women.
and i think that we do it to ourselves and to each other.
and men, too…they have this standard in their brains that women believe we have to live up to in order to hold on to them.
health, being one’s best…that’s all we’ve got.
starving to be rail thin is nuts.
it’s so shallow…and unhealthy.
That mirror ball dress is freaking fantastic!!!
Has anyone here seen “The Mighty Boosh”? THe one where Noel made the mirror ball suit? This is better 😛
She kind of looks like Faith Hill now (at least in the silver dress pic)!
I have huge lips too. A group of guys called me “DSL” in high school (I’ll let you urban dictionary that on your own). My family laughs at me in the mornings because they’re always swollen when I wake up. I’m white too, so full lips aren’t part of my ethnicity. They stand out. People ask me all the time if they’re real. Once somebody told me I have “suction cup lips” because “if you open your mouth we could stick you to the shower wall”.
Just my two cents, those things are real. And beautiful!
I think she is super pretty, but aside from the slight weight loss, her face is completely different…
I really don’t think she’s lost that much weight. It looks more like she’s had work done. Like others have said…her face looks totally different.
she looks better with the extra 10lbs. Her face looks better with the weight
I am pretty positive she had her lips done, fillers I think
So if she did have plastic surgery, then what? It’s not a very big deal as long as people don’t get addicted to it or go overboard.
I feel sorry for her. She always appears to have really low self esteem masked behind a fake smile 🙁