Cheryl Burke can see Dylan Efron’s full potential on Dancing With the Stars.
“He reminds me of Rob Kardashian,” Burke, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, October 25, ahead of her upcoming guest judge appearance in the ballroom. “He’s really invested, like, he’s putting everything into it. Now with Rob, it was different because he wasn’t initially like that.”
Burke was partnered with Kardashian, now 38, during 2011’s season 13 of DWTS. They finished in second place behind eventual winners J.R. Martinez and pro Karina Smirnoff.
“It was hard to even get him into rehearsal because he was so nervous, poor guy, but once he started getting comfortable [it changed and that’s why I think] he and Dylan are similar in that sense,” Burke recalled. “He is just surrendering to this experience because that’s all he can do, and he’s working it out, like, he’s not just doing the work in the studio.”
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She continued, “Like, you can tell he has a lot of thought process behind everything. He’s probably eating, sleeping [dance, and] if he has a girlfriend, I feel sorry for her because, like, he’s probably living dance right now.”
Efron, 33, is a current competitor on DWTS season 34 alongside his pro partner, Daniella Karagach.
“I’m not only learning to dance, but I’m learning to perform, and it feels like I’m using every hour of every day to see this through,” Efron exclusively told Us in the Reality Stars of the Year issue earlier this month. “I’m just so proud of how much I’m putting into it.”
He added, “While the Traitors is not easy, a lot of it is out of your control and dependent on luck. DWTS is fully in your control, and it’s up to you to go out there to perform and do your best. It’s been incredibly challenging physically and mentally, and so rewarding for the same exact reasons.”
According to Efron, appearing on DWTS has been “so out of [his] comfort zone” and has tested his relationship with longtime girlfriend Courtney King.
“I would be lying if [I said] Dancing With The Stars wasn’t tough, but I think it’s tougher on Courtney than me,” Efron said of King during a recent appearance on “The Viall Files” podcast. “It’s trying right now, but she’s so supportive. She knows I love her. We know it’s all temporary, so that’s why I don’t think anything’s really changed. I know it’s hard for us right now, but we’re still where we are. We still love each other and, yeah, we’re in a great place.”
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Efron and Karagach, 32, are currently preparing for DWTS’ Halloween Night, when they will dance a Viennese waltz to Tommee Profitt and Brooke‘s “Can’t Help Falling In Love (DARK) in addition to two more numbers for the cast’s dance marathon. Burke, for her part, will serve as a guest judge alongside the regular panel’s Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
“I’m definitely going to be looking for authenticity. I think, you know, that can be a big word, but authenticity to the style of dance, and especially when it comes to ballroom,” Burke, a 26-time DWTS pro, teased to Us of her judging style. “I mean, I am the first to say that I am definitely not an expert in contemporary or jazz, but I am in ballroom. I will be looking for technique that’s executed the right way that has been written in technique books, because that’s just what I know, right? So, I’m going to focus and stay in my lane as far as that goes.”
Burke also can’t wait to see her former costars once again.
“It’s all family,” she gushed. “Even though it’s been three years, it’s gonna probably feel like no time has passed.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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