Cheryl Burke never backed down from a challenge during her 18 seasons on "Dancing with the Stars," so she had to say yes when NBC approached her to appear on its new variety show, "I Can Do That."
"When the producers talked to me about this show, I thought I had to take this chance. I didn't want to ever look back and regret it," Burke told Headlines & Global News.
She leaves her comfort zone on the ballroom floor to take part in weekly challenges with her fellow celebrity contestants Ciara, Joe Jonas, Nicole Scherzinger, Jeff Dye and Alan Ritchson.
They each will have to master a new skill ranging from sports to song-and-dance to magic within a week and then perform it for a live audience.
For the 31-year-old Burke, the experience has been a life changer and made her realize the pressure her celebrity partners on "DWTS" felt each week.
Check out HNGN's interview with Burke about her new gig and how it felt hanging up her dancing shoes.
Did you ever think you could accomplish any of the challenges on "I Can Do That?"
Cheryl Burke: I honestly had no idea I could do any of this. I am so used to teaching and being a coach for the last 10 years [on "Dancing with the Stars"]. It's so different. Now I know exactly what the celebrities have been going through. I was always like, "Why are you complaining that you're sore? Who cares, you can cha-cha in front of millions of people."
Now I'm put in the same position in front of millions of people and it's almost like karma. I'm switching dance shoes and being coached with only a week to learn this act. I'm doing some crazy stuff, stuff I never thought I would do, along with overcoming a fear of certain things. I've been so comfortable as a professional [dancer] doing what I do that I've never really had that fear. Now all the pressure is on me and that's what makes the show amazing to me. All of us are doing things completely out of our comfort zone.
What will the audience discover about you as you step out of your comfort zone?
CB: You'll really see another side of my personality and not see me as a strict dance teacher, barking at my dance partner. You will literally see blood, sweat and tears and I'm not sure if I can do this while being coached. Like with the Harlem Globetrotters, I was really taking this seriously. I really wanted to do it or make them proud because we are performing with the actual stars and I want to look like I'm at their level. Even though it's impossible in just a week, I will make a fool of myself.
Whether it's that or doing aerial work and you are 100 feet in the air, I mean, I'm scared of heights, so I had to overcome that fear. You'll see me at a vulnerable state that you guys have never seen from me before on TV in the last 10 years.
Will you continue participating on reality shows or would you like to try your hand at acting?
CB: Acting would be something of interest but lately I've been loving reality and this is what I'm comfortable in. I'm more comfortable showcasing my personality, but I wouldn't mind trying the hosting side of things. The beauty of the show is it is revealing the personality and showing a different side of all of us. It's refreshing and as much as I miss my dancing family, who were my family for the last 18 seasons, this has been really refreshing and exactly what I needed in life right now.
If NBC does another season of "I Can Do That," would you sign back up?
CB: I think that's the plan. There are millions of other challenges out there and we've only done six episodes.
Is there anything you wouldn't do?
CB: There are some things - like getting off my couch for the Harlem Globetrotters (laughs). I didn't want to [do it] and they just picked me. I was literally pretending to fall asleep and not care and I get picked. It's like crap, pick one of the guys, why are you picking me?
If there's a singing act, you do not want me singing. I was like, "Absolutely not." But to be fair, there is singing and dancing and with the dancing acts I tried not to be involved. As much as I would love a free pass for a week, it has to be fair.
How agonizing was it for you to hang up your dance shoes on "Dancing with the Stars?"
CB: I'm still going through a little bit of a depression, honestly. It was hard, it being the 10-year anniversary. They were my family but I knew in my heart I had to follow my gut. It would have been easy to stay in my comfort zone on 'Dancing with the Stars' and I could've done it. It's a bummer that the timing didn't work out but honestly, if I hadn't taken this opportunity I probably would have never gotten it again.
Would you ever consider coming back to judge on "DWTS?"
CB: Not if we keep doing 'I Can Do That!'
So if you didn't get this new show, you would have stayed on "DWTS?"
CB: There have been a few seasons where I'd kind of run my course. It's not fair to me, the production or the other dancers. It's not like I don't enjoy what I'm doing, I love to dance, but how else can I challenge myself and how else can it be inspired? I probably would've stayed for the 10-year anniversary year, but then taken a break after that.
Is there a possibility you'll find something you love doing through the competition's challenges and switch careers?
CB: Yes, I want to be a Harlem Globetrotter! I'd be the only girl ever put on the Harlem Globetrotters. But this really has opened my eyes to things I really didn't know I could do. Ever since turning 30, my whole life has changed and it's really been for the best. At this point in life, I just have to follow my intuition.
Most of the celebrity dancers you work with have to unlearn things to be a ballroom dancer. Did you have the same experience on this show?
CB: Oh, 100 percent identical, I've had to un-train my body. There are some acts where I had to be hunched over or pigeon-toed. It's the complete opposite to everything I've ever had to train my partners on. I think it's actually harder to train your body than un-train it. But it's only a week, yet still completely different and so crazy. I've been stuck in the ballroom for so many years and there are so many things out there I didn't know I could do, so this really has opened my eyes.
But there's no trophy on this show?
CB: I think we'll get a trophy.
"I Can Do That" premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on NBC after the return of "American Got Talent."
