• Faith: Unknown
• Career: Dancer
• Birthday:  May 03, 1984

Cheryl Burke is an American professional dancer, television personality and podcast host best known for her long tenure on “Dancing with the Stars.” One of the show’s most recognizable professional dancers, Burke became the first female professional to win the competition and the first professional of either gender to win back-to-back seasons.

Burke was born Stephanie Burke on May 3, 1984, in San Francisco, California, to Stephen Louis Burke and Sherri Burke. Her father was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, while her mother is Filipina. Her parents divorced when she was an infant, and her father later moved to Thailand. Her mother, a nurse and entrepreneur, remarried and established a healthcare company. Burke attended Menlo-Atherton High School. She legally changed her first name to Cheryl while in middle school after being bullied by a classmate who shared her birth name.

Dance became part of Burke’s life at an early age. She began ballet lessons at 4 and later shifted her attention to ballroom dancing. By her early teens, she was competing internationally in standard and Latin dance. Her competitive accomplishments included winning the 2005 World Cup Professional Rising Star Latin Championship and the San Francisco Latin Championship. She also placed fourth in the United States in the Under 21 division.

Burke became a national television figure after joining ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” for its second season. Paired with 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey, she won the competition and its Mirrorball Trophy. The following season, Burke partnered with former NFL star Emmitt Smith and won again, making her the first professional dancer on the series to claim consecutive championships.

Over the next 16 years, Burke became one of the longest-serving professionals in the show’s history, appearing across 26 seasons. Her celebrity partners included Ian Ziering, Wayne Newton, Cristián de la Fuente, Gilles Marini, Chad Ochocinco, Rob Kardashian, William Levy, Jack Osbourne, Ryan Lochte, Terrell Owens, AJ McLean, Cody Rigsby and Sam Champion. She reached the finals multiple times beyond her two victories. Burke retired as a professional dancer following Season 31 in 2022 and later returned to the ballroom as a guest judge.

Outside “Dancing with the Stars,” Burke finished second on NBC’s “I Can Do That” in 2015 and joined “Dance Moms” in 2017, replacing Abby Lee Miller as a coach. She has also appeared on programs including “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Worst Cooks in America.” Burke has expanded her career into fitness, business and podcasting and previously operated her own dance studio.

Burke has spoken publicly about difficult experiences from her childhood. In her 2011 autobiography, “Dancing Lessons,” she revealed that she was sexually abused by a handyman when she was 5. Burke testified against the man the following year, and he was later sentenced to prison. She has also discussed struggles with body image, alcohol and the pressures associated with life in the entertainment industry.

Burke began dating actor Matthew Lawrence in 2007 after meeting him through his brother, Joey Lawrence, who had competed on “Dancing with the Stars.” They initially separated in 2008 but reunited years later. Lawrence proposed on Burke’s 34th birthday in May 2018, and the couple married in San Diego on May 23, 2019. Burke filed for divorce in 2022, and their divorce was finalized that September. She has spoken about using therapy and Transcendental Meditation to help her navigate major life changes, including her divorce.

Cheryl Burke's Religious Beliefs

Burke has not publicly identified herself with a specific organized religion, and details about her personal religious beliefs remain limited. While some celebrity faith databases have broadly categorized her as Christian, Burke herself has not made Christianity or another formal faith a significant part of her public identity.

Her family heritage includes both Jewish and Filipino roots. Burke’s late father was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, while her mother is Filipina. Burke has discussed DNA testing that showed Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry along with Chinese and Southeast Asian ancestry through her mother’s side.

Burke has also publicly expressed solidarity with the Jewish community and spoken out against antisemitism. However, ancestry and cultural identification should not be assumed to reflect personal religious practice. Burke has generally kept questions of faith private, and there is no clear public record establishing that she actively practices Judaism, Christianity or another organized religion. Her religious beliefs are therefore best described as publicly unknown.