Cheryl Bautista Burke (born May 1, 1984) is a two time Emmy nominated professional dancer. As the professional dancer partner, she won the competition in the second and third seasons of ABC's American version of Dancing with the Stars with celebrity dance partners Drew Lachey (February 2006) and Emmitt Smith (November 2006). She was the first professional dancer to win two Dancing with the Stars championships and in any competition. (Julianne Hough followed with two back-to-back championships in seasons 4 and 5).
Burke grew up in Atherton, California. She is of Filipino, Russian, and Irish descent.[1] Her family dances recreationally and have a dance floor at home. At 4 years of age she began taking ballet lessons and performing locally. She then began ballroom dancing and decided to change her focus. She trained in both standard ballroom and latin dances. She began competing at age 13. Cheryl has two sisters, Mandy and Nicole. Burke is a 2002 graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School.[2]