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\t\t\t\t\tCheryl Burke on Season 31 of \u201cDancing With the Stars\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a9Disney+\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n\tYes and no. I was a part of that show for almost 20 years. There is an emotional rollercoaster that happens with any long-term relationship. But I believe we\u2019ve all moved on. That happened a couple of years ago, and at the end of the day, they\u2019re my family. Sometimes families butt heads, but for the most part, we all love each other.<\/p>\n \n\tI hope to be empowering and encouraging, but of course, I\u2019m going to be constructive. I have 15 seconds to talk! That\u2019s going to be the hardest part for me. Ultimately, I want to help these people. Yes, we\u2019re going to compliment them if they did a great job. But I think for me, I really want to get into the technical aspect of things, regardless of the theme. I\u2019m looking for authenticity between the two people dancing with one another, authenticity to the style of dance that was assigned.<\/p>\n \n\tI\u2019m not surprised. I think it\u2019s great, other than the bullying. That\u2019s what\u2019s really difficult, especially if you\u2019re still part of the show, to not see it. Obviously, you want feedback, and you want, hopefully, a positive comment here and there. But when people are attacking you for stuff that\u2019s not even in your control, that\u2019s hard.<\/p>\n \n\tI remember back in 2006, my mom would send me the message boards. They were really mean! I was like, \u201cMom, stop doing that. I don\u2019t want to see it.\u201d But it\u2019s hard not to [look], especially when you\u2019re at such a vulnerable spot. Jan has never done the show before! You have to have some major self-control not to scroll and not to look for people commenting about you. It\u2019s kind of impossible. I think that you have to take it with a grain of salt. You also have to take yourself out of it for a second. In general, just focus on you, because that\u2019s all you can do. He\u2019s doing such a great job. It\u2019s not easy going into a show that\u2019s a well-oiled machine. He has done such an incredible job, considering that he stepped into something like this. It\u2019s huge.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tAndy Richter and Emma Slater<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDisney<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n\tThis is nothing new to the show. Everyone\u2019s so shocked. This has been happening. Welcome! I\u2019m not surprised at all. This guy could easily make the finals. By the way, he\u2019s staying authentic to who he is. And I think there\u2019s no secret there. Emma [Slater] is a great partner. I don\u2019t know if he would have gotten far with someone else, but that\u2019s a credit to the casting director and the showrunners. They know the pros. The intention is always to try and support people. No one\u2019s setting anyone up for failure.<\/p>\n \n\tI agree that they go hard on her vs. the two men sitting there. And I think that\u2019s always been the case, and she has openly talked about it, how it\u2019s harder for her. I\u2019ve experienced it, but in a different way; I\u2019m outspoken about something vs. somebody who is a man, I do see the difference. But you don\u2019t do it for the outside reaction. At the end of the day, this is her job, and she\u2019s doing her job, and she\u2019s doing it well.<\/p>\n \n\tI don\u2019t think so. I think that was a chapter, and it was a very busy chapter that took up all my time. It was more than a full-time job!<\/p>\n \n\tI will most likely be back. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to be performing.<\/p>\n \n\tThis interview has been edited and condensed.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cDancing With the Stars\u201d airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, and streams the next day on Hulu.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\tYou were vocal about your disappointment when you weren\u2019t invited back for Len Goodman\u2019s tribute episode. Were you surprised at all to be invited back?\t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tYou know a great deal of the specifics and technical aspects of ballroom. Do you plan to be strict as a judge?\t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tThere are a lot of loud fans on social media talking about the scoring and the judges\u2019 feedback. What do you think about that?\t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tI was going to bring up that last week, Jan Ravnik, who\u2019s doing his first season, immediately rolled his eyes when I asked about the social media aspect and talked about how much hate and negativity<\/a> there is right now. What advice would you give, especially to the pros, about dealing with that?\t<\/h5>\n
<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\tAndy Richter is still in the competition \u2014\u00a0something that everyone, including him, is surprised by. He\u2019s so lovable, but obviously, his dancing isn\u2019t at the level of some of the other celebrities. This week, he received three 7s. What do you feel about his journey and how he\u2019s been scored?\t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tIn addition to the teams, the judges have also faced a lot of online criticism this season, especially Carrie Ann. How do you feel about that? \t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tYour \u201cDancing With the Stars\u201d podcast ended<\/a> last December, but at the time, you had said, \u201cThis isn\u2019t goodbye, it is a \u2018see you later.’\u201d Do you plan to bring it back?\t<\/h5>\n
\n\t\tI know that a lot of the pros are coming back for the 20th anniversary show to dance. Will you be a part of that?\t<\/h5>\n