Jonathan Roberts

Published May 13, 2024, 4:00 AM

A true DWTS OG is on the pod! 

Esteemed professional ballroom dancer Jonathan Roberts was on Dancing with the Stars from day one and was one of Cheryl's first dance teachers when she was just a teenager! 

Jonathan reveals what Cheryl was like as a student, being on DWTS from the start, the things he wanted to do on the show in the first season but wasn't allowed to, and what it was really like having Macy Gray and Heather Mills as dance partners. 

Plus, Cheryl goes there. . . she asks if Marie Osmond's fainting was scripted! Jonathan also answers fans' questions like whether he would ever return to the show, his relationship with Anna Trebunskaya, and a revealing Rapid Fire Q & A! 

This is Sex Lies and spray Tands with Me, Cheryl Burke and iHeartRadio Podcast. Welcome back to sex Sizes and spray Tands, where we dive into the glamorous and not so glamorous world of a reality TV. Today, we're joined by a true maestro of the ballroom who steps Grace the very first season of Dancing with the Stars and many more thereafter. He's not only captivated audiences with his elegance on the dance floor, but has also coached and inspired dancers around the globe. Fun fact, guys, our next guest was one of my first ever ballroom dance teachers, whom I even competed with when I was like twelve or thirteen years old at one of the Bay Area dance competitions in the pro Am Junior division Category two be exact. Obviously I was the am and he was the pro. Great times. Okay, please welcome my long lost friend Jonathan Roberts to the show. Welcome to sex Lize and spray Tand when was the last time we saw each other in person?

I guess right, I don't even remember.

It was been over a decade, yeah, like maybe.

Some was it? The hunt did I go to the hunter of the show. I don't even remember, but probably back then sometime.

Wow, Jonathan, and I've known you out of everybody the longest, I would say, from like the original pro dancers, right, like you were one of my first ballroom dance teachers ever.

Right, I remember you and your first partner coming down to Santa today and staying in my house when we had lessons from all the coaches from England.

Yes, all over David Bruckner.

David Bruckner, Yeah, are you guys?

Do you still No, he's out.

Of the business. I heard he moved to Oregon somewhere in the mountains. I don't know, probably hunting goats. I'm not sure. I haven't haven't seen.

Him mage, Jonathan, how are you?

First of all, so I'm great. I got remarried. So I have two kids, two girls, three and five. So that's super amazing. Changes your life?

Oh wow? And are they dancing? Are you going to put them into some fishing?

So the last thing I want them to do, unless they really insist, is while we're dancing. We know all the bad part of that, right. So they did one dance class and then they wanted to get pretty dresses and shoes. So I said they had to practice if they wanted to go back. So then they said, can we just get the pretty dress and shoes and not go back. Yes, we have a deal.

So they're just not into ballroom whatsoever or practicing for it so far.

So if they want to get to it later, sure, they're both doing ice skating, gymnastics and swimming. Okay, you know, we'll see where that goes. I'm already planning, like, you know, twenty thirty six Olympics, booking my tickets out.

You know, you're going to be a dance dad or what an Olympic dad or whatever that.

Yeah, yeah, So I'm already planning this because obviously, you know, I can control what they do.

So and then you could just make tons of money off all their sponsorships and stuff. I don't know if you thought that far.

But I'm practically retired. Now. That's your mom.

She's okay, she's good. You know, we're all just getting older obviously, but she's doing great. I'm actually gonna go home tomorrow and see them. It's my stepdad, it's Bob's birthday. Bob, my stepdad. Fun fact has done everyone's teeth in the business as far as like, yeah, my dad's a dentist, so yeah, he would always talk about everyone's mouth. I was like, this is really weird, Like I really don't want to go there.

Are they still in the same house?

Yeah, oh yeah, nothing's changed other than my little sister literally like repainting everything just for the first time. Not herself. We're hiring someone, but still the ballroom's still there. I'm doing these rewatches, or I was doing these rewatches on this podcast, and I just had finished season two, so I saw Jerry, Rice and Anya rehearse at I've never seen a season like ever in my life, let alone on full episode because normally I just watch it for my partner, look at it and then know what to work on. Right, it is so surreal, the whole thing. It's a machine.

It's a big world in the small world. Same time.

So you say you haven't seen dancing with the stars, but when you were involved, I guess, how did you even get involved in? First of all, is rewind big time? How did you get involved into ballroom dancing in general?

So I started dancing late for I guess a European dancer. I started when I was about nineteen. I just started college, had no idea what I wanted to do. Saw that movie sent of a Woman with Alpacino and super cool tango scene Romantic, and when I was leaving the theater, there was a sign to bring your ticket stub in for a free dance lesson. I remember there was no phones then show. So I went, yeah, tried the dance lesson, loved it, and then I found out how much it costs, and I was like, okay, I'm eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and trying to go to college. So then they said, well, you know you're you're young, you seem talented. How about we train you to be a teacher.

So that's how So it was it like a fred Astare or.

Yeah, like a franchise type studio. Yeah, it was okay, Yeah.

So you literally read a manual and then you were just like a teacher.

Well, they started training me, and I was terrible in the beginning. I had no idea what I was doing. Okay, so but you know, it started this whole journey I had no idea was going to come. And then the first like competition I went to, I saw that like all the cool looking guys with the hot partners were competing, so I thought, well that I need.

To compete the cool looking guys with the low V necks and the highwaysted Latin pants and Cuban hills. Yeah.

Yeah, I love the Latin pants.

Yeah totally.

And it just went downhill or uphill from there.

No way went uphill. Jonathan. First of all, I don't know if everyone knows the background, and like, you were a United States champion in the smooth division, and then when you you did so many different styles, would you I don't want to have to say your whole resume, so feel free.

Uh sure? So I was a world in USA smooth champion, and then I was a US last and finalist, and then in the name won't mean so to everyone, but in the mecca of all ballroom dance competitions, Blackpool, so they know that the right to star Laddin. So yeah, that's very blessed with good partners and a great career.

So when you what made you want to take that I guess step from just doing it kind of for fun and just learning how to teach really too, then competing, when did you know, like you know what there's I actually have talent and I can actually be, you know, great at what I'm doing.

I still didn't know if I had any talent. Then well, I just I've always been very competitive, you know, from playing sports in school and things like that. So if I was going to try to lessen the blow that I was dropping out of college to my parents, I was like a competitive ballroom dancing.

My goodness, it's like the worst nightmare of most parents.

Yeah, which they probably googled to find out, like what that even means?

How much money you make?

Yeah, yeah, it was. There was some difficult conversations, but I'm very lucky. I have very supportive parents, so they they got behind me, and.

Yeah, it's been great and they're still together. Right you come here.

My mom passed away two and a half years ago. Yeah, she had Parkinson's for almost thirty years. So it's been a long battle. So my dad lives right near my brother and so it's, uh, it was so sorry, Jonathan. I'm glad she's out of pain and now I get to doing Actually this Friday, going to Connecticut for a big Parkinson's charity event. Oh wow, you know, there's so much awareness for cancer, which is such a horrible disease, but much less for something like Parkinson.

So there's just not a lot of I guess the education behind it, Like we just don't know, right, Like Michael J.

Fox is doing a great job with that and some other celebrities that have had it.

So again, I'm so sorry to hear that about your mom, Jonathan, I had no idea. Okay, So you know you've been a huge part of my journey. I would say when it comes ballroom dancing. Now, how was I when I was like a teenager going through major A and like I just I mean, I do kind of remember how I was kind of like maybe a little passive. You could just not don't lie like I can handle it all, Jonathan Roberts tell my listeners.

So I remember you and David practicing.

This was before David though. It was one of me and you. I was doing pro am with you.

Yeah, but you were always super nice when we always.

Laughed and had fun and it was but you were nice to me.

Yeah, like so.

That like I wasn't like lazy, like dragging my feet.

You're a bit lazy and floppy, but yeah, yeah, and your mom was pushing you and you're Bob was always super nice. Yeah, but I remember that more just kind of fun and like no one thought it would be a serious thing at the time. It was just something we were all doing, you know.

Yeah, I just wanted to dance with someone younger, right. I always associated ballroom with old people, Like when my mom and stepdad started, they wanted me to do it, and I was like, are you kidding? No way, But I mean I.

Think before Dancing with Stars, that was the common conception in America is that something your grandma and grandpa would do.

Totally.

That's been one of the great benefits the show has done is change it and like there's so there's so many kids classes now and just literally thousands of kids in America, especially on the on the East Coast and West Coast dancing. It's it's been great to see America pick up like it does in Europe or more in Asia with a lot of kids.

I was going to ask you that, like, what do you see as far as has Danced Dancing Stars even influenced the ballroom community at all, And so obviously that's yeah, that's one thing.

Awareness it's brought so many more people in especially I think a lot of guys who go, Okay, well, if the you know, if Jerry Rice Emmitt Smith can ballroom dance, then then why can't I?

Totally Yeah, And as far as the real uh, I guess the competitors, like the champions and the judging panel, because now you're a judge, right, You're an a judicator. Congratulations, thank you. How does that feel standing up all day and walking around a ballroom barely walking around? It doesn't bring your back.

You get super tired, you make almost no money, and you you sort of feel important. But in the reality, you judge the competition and the winner likes you, and everyone else hates you and thinks you hate them because you didn't mark them.

It ain't that glamorous.

Yeah, it's it's not that super fun.

They haven't. They don't let you sit yet, Like I'm waiting for this to happen. Then maybe I will go aheadicians.

That you said. Still not at night, but sometimes during the day.

Yeah, thank god? Did I judged once at Debbie Avolos's dance competition. I was more sore from just standing there than doing five dances like a round.

You know, it's more tiring, and as a as a guy, I can't complain. I'm not wearing heels, you know, my feet and legs are still sore. But like you're sitting there in a three and a half inches lettos, like I don't know how you do it.

It's also like these competitions, just for my listeners, they are like a mini fashion show, Like it really is held at a Marriott airport by the airport right, or like one of those convention centers, but like we are dressed up, like this is no joke, this is a red carpet event. And but again behind it all is out that glamorous, but it is very That's the one thing I do love, I think is that people, whether you want to call it old fashion or not, people still really care and like know how to hold themselves with poise, you know, I think that's important.

You walk into a ballroom nest competition at seven in the morning and you see fake eyelashes, fake hair, fake boobs, faked hand, you see spandex rhinestones, high heels, and that's just.

The kind nasty spray tad you've gotten.

To the girl yet. So it's like this little niche, amazing hobby sport lifestyle that is actually one of the coolest things in the world to do.

It is, isn't it? It really is. I don't think I would learn about like even just body awareness. I think that is so important. How to hold yourself, how to you know, even shake someone's hand like it is. It all correlates, and I think it's that's the one thing I would want if I have kids to learn. But they can just go to Katillion for that. No one needs to be staring at themselves in the mirror and compare themselves to other people.

The vanity side just really goes there.

How did you get on Dancing with the Stars, So.

I think probably the same way you did. I was on the first season. They brought the show over Strictly Come Dancing from the BBC, and I think, you know, several American networks turned it down and Andrea Wong picked it up, which was a great decision. So I believe they called the NBCA president, the National Dance Council and got like a Listrian McDonald Brian McDonald, Yeah, the top six competitors in each division at that time, So contact everyone for an interview. And I swear the only reason I got that first interview is like maybe five minutes into it. It was maybe Joe was doing it.

I don't remember Joe Sunker.

Yeah yeah, but he was like, you know, you have an American accent, Like, how come everyone else that's a good dancer is all Russian?

Or are Ukrainey?

I swear the only reason I got on the show is just because I was born in America in the beginning.

But hey, look at where that.

Got us, right, right time, right place.

Totally.

I have a memory, sharp, am I wrong in this? I remember one time you and David and Jenya and Giselle you were trying to raise money, like to.

Go to naw We dance on the streets in Union Square.

Yeah so yeah, in San Francisco Union Square with your little boombox.

Were there adeed as rip of Ways?

Yeah yeah, oh yeah.

I keep talking about that all the time. How we because my mother and I got in a huge fight I'll never forget it, and she cut me off. It wasn't for Nationals, it was to get to Blackpool. So it was like my mom was like, that's it, You're not going. I said, oh really watch me And then so yeah, we were freaking We made two thousand dollars one day. You did Wow one in one day. But we had like Jenya by the way, for my listeners is Alec Mazo's little brother. So Alec one first season with Kelly, Monica and Jenny also danced past sense I'm sure now, but I had interviewed edits on here as well. But yeah, it's so time. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was good times. I mean it really, you know, look look where you are at nowt I watched your first season always because I had to like recap it and Rachel Hunter was so good the level of choreography and the style of dancing. I wish it was like this. Still, I haven't.

Watched the show, so I do a lot of effects now and lighting, and but I remember Cheryl like the first or second season, so like I wanted to start the numbers standing on the judge's table and Joe, no, that's not allowed. And then I wanted to wear like, like I don't know, Converse shoes for a jive and they're like, no, we only wear ballroom shoes.

I missed the authenticity that I think the og pros and that the show really wanted to make sure that they followed, not so much the makeup, because I looked crazy with like I couldn't even open my eye that had so much glitter on it my lids. But what I miss is the orchestra. I miss the authenticity of it being like a mini Blackpool, but like a show number Blackpool, like full of show numbers. And that's the thing I didn't I don't see. I did never felt like when watching season one that the choreography ran like it was like old school, like, oh, that was back in two thousand and whatever. Five it still is very still is very relevant, I think, yeah.

I mean that's the I think Ballard dancing is a classic. So you can go one hundred years and people are still dancing the same exact steps. It might be more powerful now, bigger movement and shapes, but it still goes down to the root of two people dancing together and moving across the floor in harmony, and like, at least the first couple of seasons, that was the focus, and then it got what.

Television television friendly? Well, I think that if we look back two at the stats of it, all right, I know television is different nowadays. I totally get it. But the ratings were so crazy it different. I think it was different than us, like if you were to watch us on mute versus so you think you can dance completely different? Now maybe not so different? And why do you think? I guess why is Ballroom so fascinating to people? Like? Why is the show going on as thirty third season?

I'm stunned it is. First of all, I think through if but if you look back in time, people always enjoy dancing, and they enjoy dancing together, and I think often people are envious of two people that can dance together romantic. It looks so fun, it looks so cool. So I think that charm and the show will always be there and have Maybe it's not as many people now watching, but it's still people enjoy watching the competitive romance, romance, the drama side, which of course the show plays up. But you know, I think as long as they keep casting it right, this show could go on forever. I agree. I want to see world leaders dancing with the stars.

Like Putin, Putin.

Kim Jong Yo, Trump, Biden.

They have to stay in their respective countries.

We'd have a you know, a couple billion people.

You're kidding people, would you know the president of Ukraine did Dancing with the Stars.

Yeah I heard, yeah, yeah.

I mean whenever they show clips, like it's really hard to take them seriously, just say the least comedian.

Yeah, but like that would be can you believe that?

Do you know that Trevor Noah did Dancing with the Stars in South Africa? So hot? I have the biggest crush on him. Okay, let's move on to you had a full I would say handful of partners that full of personalities, right, like different personalities from Marie Osmond and I still to this day Tom Brasron, who's no longer obviously a host on the show, but we're still very friendly and he was on this podcast, and that is the one thing that we can't stop talking about still is just that moment when Marie Osmond fainted out of your arms, not really in your arms because she fell to the floor, threw my arms. Yeah literally right through was this? I think a lot of people are wondering, like, how scripted? And we're going to do this little game at the end here when it comes to conspiracy theory versus true or false. But it was that scripted because it came out of nowhere.

No, it was it was a big surprise. Okay, you know you always think, especially you know people that have been involved with TV their whole life, They're always planning and thinking, you know what, gimmick, can I get people to vote for me? Have sympathy? And Marie was a pretty vote you know what, that kind of thing. But you cannot like control your head hitting the floor, and like Tom and I heard this like bunk, like, oh my god, she was out and like her one of her brothers was there, comes running out like it was so she hit her head. Yeah, like I heard her head boom hit the floor. And the funny moment is when like the Lynn, Carrien and Bruno, like I saw them look down, they look at their paper. They looked down like wait, this is not in our script, like what do we do right now?

And that, and they had already gave the number the score, which was really not I wonder.

Right, I can't even remember if the score.

Because it was a samba. I just saw it last night, Like I'm sure, pretty sure that they had already scored because they have to right as soon as you're done, but like three sevens for a faint.

Yeah, a little awkward moment then yeah, yeah, but Tom was so smart. He's like, let's go to commercial break. You know, I think there was a lot of There was a lot of reasons, Like Marie was like, I mean we were dancing like eight hours a day. That's when all those fires were in La. You know, the air was really bad, so you know, who knows, maybe she hadn't eaten enough that day or or something, and it just but she dropped like a rock and that that was. That was one hundred percent rail.

I have a similar story with Christiane la Fente. He broke his arm live on television, also doing the samba. Maybe at the samba there's a samba curse. Oh my god. He was dipping. He was supposed to dip me and literally I heard his arm pop. Like whatever. It was like anyway, I told him not to work out because this guy was working out so anytime you had to wear a sleeveless shirt. He was like, I'm going to pump some iron.

You know.

He lived at the Palazzo with the freaking gym there, and I was like, if you work out, I'm going to kill you. Cut to we make the final, though, because you know what, we would have never made that final if it wasn't for his arm breaking.

It creates drama, but you know totally, some some guys break their arm, you know, doing mma, and some guys in ball dancing see dipping me, yeah's are almost the same.

Well that's the thing. Like, this is why I still believe ballroom should be an Olympic sport.

Never would be, really, I mean it's too based on the opinion.

I mean, break dancing just got into the Olympics. Okay, scratch that, just saying there is a chance.

There's a breakdancing. Well, there's a ballroom dance syllabus.

The thing is, well, there's syllabus everywhere in sky skating.

But this is what I think is the beautiful part of ballroom is it's so there's like, if you do ballet, you can only have one body type, one amount of flexibility, one length of legs, and if you don't it doesn't matter how hard you work, you will never make it. But in ballroom you can be tall, short, wide, thin, flexible, stiff. You can come up with choreography and taking the steps and syllabus designed to showcase your good talents and what you can do.

So yeah, so.

Hard to judge. You have six people doing a lockstep in Chatcha and all six are different, and it's apples to oranges. How can you say one is better than the other?

I definitely can. Wow, it's a style is it's a style preference obviously regardless though with anybody, I think, but there is a technique book, and I think if you were to really do this in the Olympic in order for it not to be political, but by the way, it's all political, like our world is political. I don't think there's any way to avoid it. But I think if you were to do some similar to like an Arthur Murray teacher or Fred Astaire, literally you just have them study it, and you know, obviously we wouldn't know any of them because they're not in the business, and then voila judge it.

Still it's still opinion.

Any who. This is a long that's another podcast. But what was your seven I guess go talk to me about your seven days, like on Dancing with the Stars, whether it be what doesn't matter the partner, right, but like what was our schedule like and how rigorous was it?

Well, it kind of depended on the celebrity, you know, with Mac Gray, like I wonder what the like like Dina or the show producers sell the celebrities on, because I feel like some came in, like like the athletes, that they're ready to go like ten hours a day. The athletes, Yeah, I thought I only had to practice for an hour, you know, and then they get hit by a mack truck of choreography to imen steps technique style and like they just get overwhelmed as you go through.

So, I mean, this formula is brilliant if you really think about it, because it's your ass at the end of the day.

And then once you're committed on it, you can't back out. So did anyone ever back out of the show?

Well, Sarah Evans. I just interviewed her, actually, and Sarah Evans had to back out because, dude, to personal issues. Do you remember that season three with Tony Deblaani She said that she would have won. I said, really, over mister Emmitt Smith, Sarah, would you like to confirm this? She goes, no, I think I would have won, and I think she's right. The country fans are nuts, super loyal. I think that's why Drew and I won because we danced to freaking big and rich save ohors Reddica. I'm telling you that's the only reason Super Smart show that wasn't.

No.

I hated it. I didn't even want to do it. I'm not going to even take credit. It's all Drew with Rachel. She seemed a little lazy in the beginning from what I saw in the packages, like meaning like lazy, just kind of like maybe nonchalant, just like, and then she got really competitive, and I felt like, you guys should have at least made the final. Obviously, I thought we should have won, right, I mean, I was just gonna s we get there.

Yeah. It was more just kind of her personality and attitude. She's just very low key, laid back, easy going. Yeah, and she had legs for days, and she learned so quick at such good rhythm, and you know, for being a taller model, she could really move to.

Totally the best one that I think the show's ever had. Between her and Stacy Keebler, it would be close. I think, how did the show change from season one till your last season? For you in your eyes so.

It to me, it just became a bigger, bigger production, and then it became more and more about social media and what people were doing not just on the floor, but also off the floor. You know, the drama, the stories, and I was never a part of that.

When you say off the floor, you mean like the romantic connections that they would try and force or I.

That only a little bit. But I feel more like at first, none of us had an agent, none of us used Twitter, none of us did any social media.

My Space.

Do you remember, like the first one or two seasons, we'd go up to the green room, like on the fourth floor. All the celebrities and teachers would be there. You'd have a drink, you'd watch yourself on video about it, and then you dial in your own number to vote for yourself, or.

You do it before you watch it, just dial in.

Yeah, yeah, is whatever the limit was, you know.

I remember the judges Len Goodman would be smoking cigarettes up there. I swear to god. We would party with everyone like it was. That was when it was the It was so good. Yeah, it was the best, and everybody.

Was a friend and felt supportive. And then to the show and on everybody saw, okay, this is my chance to get rich, be famous, And it was like the egos spread and not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe in every context, but everybody became out for themselves and what can I do to make my brand and my name bigger?

Yes? And and by the way, we all have egos, like this is not you know anything, it's not new information. However, do I mean, why do you think we want full on? We want other people's approval for a reason.

I'm look in the mirror all day long as we.

Oh, I know, hence my like there's just a lot of unhealthy but beautiful Also, it could be both. Did you get asked to do Len Goodman's tribute?

I saw an email or something about that, but I'm just so busy with my teaching life and family and yeah, I think I was out of town then.

So okay, so are you just completely like okay, so what happened did you? Was it your choice to leave?

So, like, let's see the third season, I think they the third, fourth season, I can't remember. They didn't ask me back that season for whatever reason. Then I did the next three or four. Then I went back and did a competition again in the baller world. So I turned them down. Whatever season that was.

You did turn them down?

Yeah, and then whatever the last season I did, I think that was with Macy Gray. I think I was just kind of done, and yeah, I felt again even though I was still well. Now I realized I was younger men, but I was feeling old Ben. But I was in you and Mark and Derek and going like, okay, you know, I think it's it's always time to it's good to go at the right time. You know, I don't want to be the sports athlete that's you know, it was a great you know athlete, and then still they're trying to score and not what they were.

Macy Gray, I will never forget you were like you had to travel to England or something. Right.

No, we we did like a twenty some day tour through all of Europe. We were even Moscow up in Sweden, Denmark.

This.

Yeah, the last couple of days was like I had a hotel right in Red Square Moscow, like looking out over everything. Was it?

Wait, how many hours did you reheard? Because I remember you were like we rehearsed for thirty minutes maybe, so maybe.

We didn't have a lot of rehearsal.

No, and you know it's in then, so you're exhausted.

Well, you know how a tour is. We take the bus at night, you know, get there. Then she has her you know, stage rehearsal, music check, everything like that. Then we do you know, thirty minutes and take a nap and then like it was this whirlwind again. Macy was someone who I don't think realized the work that was required to do it, but it was a blast.

Why does that affect us? Because I always say this, like this is so consuming, This whole show is consuming. I also was supposed to dance with Charlie Sheen one season. Cool and yes, but then he had asked me like on the side, like they opened up the studio for us. It was a whole tryout right, which they don't do with everyone, but like with big names like that, Yes he wants to try it out. Okay, great, Maybe they shouldn't have chose me because I don't lie, and because you know, if I lie, then I'm going to First of all, we're the ones that are going to get the shit and the stick here when it comes to the celebrities, expecting one thing and it being another. So when he asked me about like celebrity like basically do I have to go and do press? I said, oh, yeah, we're all going to good Morning America, buddy, we're doing it. We're going there as a we are part of an ensemble. Like this is not not until like towards the end then obviously whoever whatever, But like we do this. This is a cast announcement. This is in your contract as well. As I said, first of all, this is seven days a week. And I don't regret saying any of this, even though he obviously decided not to do the show because it.

Wasn't his dancing talent that he backed out with.

I don't think so. I think honestly it was what the schedule was, but what I told him it was because like I'll tell you this much, Terrell Owens, when I danced with him, he was told that he could wear his labels like his actual clothing line. No, that wasn't the case, and so the back and forth, and then I got him in a bad mood, and then our rehearsals all messed up, Like it really isn't necessarily it doesn't work in our favor whatsoever, let alone, just we want our celebrity to be in good spirits really, right, yeah.

Because that controls their performance and their practice, and they're they're just.

Did you ever run into that issue with any of your celebrities, like Heather Mills.

I know that she Heather was actually super Again, let's talk about Heather because it's out of all the partners I've had, we stay the most in contact. So she was just here at my house a couple of months ago. Oh really, I'm going to England in two weeks and I'm supposed to see her there. So we regularly love that together. And for all the bad press Heather got in England, she is just the nicest, most loyal, most caring person. And again, I wish I'd kept up better, you know, with all the people I danced with, But for whatever reason, Heather and I regularly talk and she is just she has her chain Mpiano causes with the you know, the veganism and against animal cruelty and stuff, and we just have stayed great friends.

Wow. Okay, So let's talk about this because I think she was one of the first controversial characters that were that was cast on the show. I mean other than like master p but he didn't want to do it anyway, he was forced to do it. But like, what was that like for you?

So a little bit, I guess I just didn't really think about it. I just thought, oh, I have this super famous lady with you know who. My parents loved the Beatles and I did as well. Actually, and you know, the show's talked to me and said, we really need someone that's going to take care of her and be pressed savvy and be careful. And you know, she has a disability, so right with the leg and everything, because I think in the future they had more people with disabilities like loss of limbs or something, but Heather was the first one, and it was it was amazing what we did too, Like she did that backflip and there was she worked really really hard with the injury Heather head to her leg. I think they put like show me the X ray. There was like the surgical metal plate that went through her abdomen and if she didn't work enough out like physically, the plate would drop, which then would cause her not to be able to walk at all, serious injury. So like it didn't matter where we went, she was always staying fit, always eating right, always exercising, Like that was not just a lifestyle choice, it was a lifestyle must for her. So I really appreciated her work ethic wow, and her attitude for what she went through in life and what.

She Yeah, wow, it's so crazy because like from the outside looking in mind, you I know she's lovely. She gave us all the girls a toothbrush that vibrated for other reasons other than to brush your teeth. But I love her, like I love how she's just so funny. Like I just remember really getting along with her and how open she was. I loved, But like, I don't think I think people think maybe Amy Purty was the first when it comes to like a big disability, the huge disability that could literally you know the fact that you know she had prosthetics and you know, but still this must have been very challenging. How did you work around it? Like, I know, you're one of the most patient patient beings in the plant on the planet. Like, seriously, I think that they were smart to give someone like Heather to you. Was it? I mean she was very mobile right like I saw her, Like.

It would be interesting with her with her leg like sometimes walking would be harder than doing like a turn and a lunge. Yeah, very like I just I had no understanding how hard it was for But I'd love the challenge to be honest, Like, one of the things I like to do the most right now is choreography. So I travel all of the world right now designing steps and routines and again, like we said, figuring out what what are we trying to hide in this couple and what are we trying to draw out? And how can I do the chography around that. So it's a great challenge for me on Okay, we can't turn on this leg, so we have to alter the choreography to make the turn here and yeah, this way. So it just turned into an enjoyable, actually thing for me to conker, not just teaching someone to dance, but figuring out how to embellish what she could do with her leg.

The press made her out to be this devil of a woman, right because like, how dare you whatever? I don't even know what the story was is she would you be safe to say that she's definitely the opposite of what the press puts her out to be.

Completely the opposite. Now, now, Heather is a strong woman and she will speak up. She will if she sees something done wrong, she will talk about it one hundred percent. She's not afraid to back down. But she is just an angel. Like I remember being in England and we were out there in the park or something with some of her family and the paparazzi were trying to film the kids and she's like, no, no, no, no, get in the way. Stop. You know, you're not allowed to do this. So they say, well, we're going to keep going till the police come. So she had to call the police, you know. So the next day in the paper it says Heather Mills waste police time with like, you know, frivalent calls.

Wow.

So it was like I saw these things happen in person, and yeah, like yeah, it's just it's not you know, I think anyone in politics or that's famous, they have that risk. That's no, you know, you're not one hundred percent going to do the right thing. But at least what I saw of Heather, she was always nice and considerate and just got smeared a lot.

It's just different in England. They're really vicious. And I know that they came here at some point, right, like this was a whole thing because this is fresh off her divorce with Paul McCartney.

Right, yeah, so Carthy McCartney artney, Yeah, you're still young, shoe no flying back and forth from England each week during the show, so wow. They had the results show on Tuesday, so I think it was like six o'clock California time. So we'd catch like a nine thirty flight to London and we'd drive the three hours to Brighton or she lived, and then we'd rehearse there and then fly back. So it was it was crazy.

That's insanity. What okay? So I had I don't know what your relationship is like with Anya. I had Anya here on the podcast, and she actually really was very vulnerable with her story and and her I guess her experience on the show for those because there's I got a lot of questions from fans asking like, would you ever first of all, come back to the show. What happened? Is there peace in your life? And between the two of you, are you guys good? You know, I don't want to put pressure. If you don't feel comfortable in answering any of this, please don't.

So yeah, I mean it didn't work out between us, Yeah, but there was nothing bad that happened, so there's no I think huge bitterness or fight. Yeah. Yeah, So like I run a very large dance competition in San Diego, and I have her come judge, you know, every couple of years there, so we we still see each other in the dance business. Yeah, so yeah, yeah, time moves on and wound's heel over time and it's you know, as long as you grow and move on from that. So it would be a good experience totally.

And you guys were so great together as competitors. She definitely brought out something in you and vice versa, like she had this fire I'll never forget, like because were we competing against No, he never competed against each other, did we? In the Latin? Maybe maybe that's weird. It's weird because you taught me as a teacher, you know, you were my teacher, and it's like, okay, yeah, I guess maybe with Jose towards the end, Yeah, rapid fire conspiracy theory or true or false? You've got three options? Are you ready quickly? Was it your decision to leave the show? Conspiracy theory true or false? Yes, my decision, Maria's and fainting was scripted. We don't get to choose our celeb partners.

I never did not either.

Pro dancers all got paid the same when you were a part of the show.

I don't know what other people got paid. I think we did.

Oh, come on, Jonathan, Yes that is true. I believe not now. I think it's seniority obviously.

No that the first season.

Can I talk about that, Yeah, we can talk about anything.

I think we got paid fifteen hundred a week the.

First Oh that's so bad.

And there was no expenses paid. And like I remember doing the rehearsal for the final for the because it was six episodes the first season, and the mirror ball was made out of cardboard in the inside and fell apart halfway through, like the dress rehearsal.

Do you know what it was? I just got Someone just told me three years ago. It was a lamp shade. My first two freaking mirror balls, right, two and three seasons two and three. First of all, one is gone in the trash. And not because I'm pissed off at anything or the show or I hate I don't want to remember it. Mice that were living in my storage in Los Angeles literally bit through this dirofoam, okay, and the mirrors were already off.

And get another thing about Heather Mills, so they would only find me economy to England, so Heather paid herself to upgrade me to business. So because without sleeping all the ways back, it would have been a nightmare.

What season was that, Jonathan four? Four? Maybe the show is rigged conspiracy theory or true depends how you define rigged. Kyle Massey was say, true, Okay, pros and celebrities work seven days a week on the show.

Some do, some don't.

Oh, come on, you have to.

Yeah, I worked seven days a week.

We helped design our wardrobe. Yes, the show is scripted. I said this already, didn't I.

I don't remember. Uh, the judges are scripted for sure.

That was my next one. Danta, Wait, what do you mean by staymore.

About the judges? Yeah, well, for sure, they watched the dress rehearsals. They see what's happing? Thank you? Like duh. If they're not sure I would do that.

Well, they're also not that like fast. I mean like Tom bergerwund maybe right, like he could definitely whip it out of his back pocket. But like I was just going to say, judges watch dressers. Judges are told what to score the couples.

How can I know? Like when you judge a charity event like I'm doing this Friday, like so I have to walk in Cole. Haven't seen anyone like. Sometimes my comments are great, sometimes not so good, like right the Stars. The judges comments are always good the time. I'm not saying accurate, but at least there they have.

Work anymore they're mean.

I haven't even seen it, so I don't know.

No, but even your season they were mean.

It's just more honest, but it was better that way.

Loved it. Yeah, what do you think of the judging panel today?

Who's the judges?

Derek A Hoff, Kiri and and Bruno?

Still great? I love seeing the original and Derek who is you know, such an amazing dancer and can add the ballroom knowledge part to it?

Do you think Len Goodman could be replaced?

Not his personality and expertise? I mean Len was a legend.

Which of your seven partners was most disciplined?

Uh? Heather Mills always late, Macy Gray?

Who swept the most?

Me?

Marie Osmond?

No?

Me, oh, I did same, I'm a swetter too. Who got distracted the most?

Probably Marie Osman? She was pretty busy with eight kids?

Who was really needy?

Mm? They were all okay?

Who was the most stubborn.

The most stubborn probably.

Marie who was a diva. Max from Rokkowsky, who's a joy to work with the matter what day it was.

Heather Mills, most if most stiff, Uh, Monica Probably Monica Slas from the tennis.

Yeah, the funniest three, more.

Funniest, Maria Asmund, most shy, the most shy, Monica Selas. Biggest flirt, biggest flirt in a good way. My part on the second season, Giselle Fernandez. She was great like her Latino background.

She was she was great.

What is she was?

I mean, honestly, like another one that you got eliminated too early like she was. First of all, she was obsessed with wanting to work, like to the to a fault.

Yeah yeah, and a flexible, amazing body. Worked hard. Yeah. That's the unfair part of the show that I wish wasn't there because she she should have gone to a final.

Do you think that that part of it is unfair or is it real?

Well, I mean we can't see what goes behind the scenes, but if someone is a terrible dancer has a lot of fans, they're still going to get boats because people love them to see them or if they're a terrible answer that they improve each week. Maybe they're not as good as someone else, but people see them improving and get behind them. So there's you know, there's so many aspects like that.

Fan questions quickly. First of all, you have so many different you have so many fans, mind you, I did this whole Instagram thing definitely like you had about I would say solid thirty to forty fan questions. But we're not going to get through all of them. Mind you, fans. This is great to what not total dummy? Maybe you should be a little bit more active on social media so you could have reposted my story. That's one of the questions. Why are you not so active on social.

We need social media.

We need to change you do, Jonathan, We do.

I've moved on from that brief time of not doing very well with social media.

I know it's the thing. What are you up to now? From at Adriana dot sinep Prix.

So now I have my two beautiful girls, I travel and teach all over the world, and I just join the actually Freda Stare franchise, So I bought Anya, so I'll be opening Freda Stare dance studios in northern California.

Whoa, and then another congratulations, by the way, that's huge, that's awesome. Will you ever return to Dancing with the Stars is the second part of her question.

Never really?

For example, why didn't you do the tribute? You just didn't like you weren't. Did you respond to the email? Interesting? Did it were you? Did you leave on bad terms? No?

No, great terms. It's just too busy, Like there's no more. If I want to see someone from the show, just call them, you know or whatever. It's it was time to move.

On, you mean, like, no, I meant for Lenn Goodman's tribute though, like when who reached out to you?

I don't even remember. Yeah, I don't even think the email I saw like Lenn Goodman tribute and I don't think I went further than that.

Got it? Okay? Last question, what is any advice you have for any current pro dancers or anyone who may be a pro dancer in the near future. What advice do you have for them?

It shouldn't be about you, It should be about your celebrity period.

Thank you, Jonathan good Night A men. Thank you seriously though, thank you for your time Jonathan. I miss you so much.

Good to see you.

Thank you guys so much for listening, and thank you to Jonathan. Make sure to rate and review wherever you're currently listening to this episode, even if you did it already, as it's vital to the longevity of this podcast. And yes, you heard me right, there's no limits when it comes to rating and reviewing. But I also want to let you guys know a friendly reminder. We dropped two episodes per week, every single Mondays and Fridays, so mark your calendars, set your notifications on high alert, and I'll see you next time. Love you bye.

Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans

Professional dancer Cheryl Burke has been a part of Dancing with the Stars since the very beginning. 
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