'Dancing With the Stars' pro Cheryl Burke hints at retirement: 'Time to hang up those shoes'
After about 14 years on "Dancing With the Stars," pro Cheryl Burke is weighing how much longer she'll appear on the show.
In an interview with the "Chicks in the Office" podcast, Burke admitted that participating in the competition series has taken its toll on her body.
This is Burke's 23rd season on the show. She first appeared in season two, which she won with her partner, Drew Lachey.
"My hips don't lie, and ... I'm starting to get tendinitis. For a woman, as far as ballroom dancing competitively goes, normally in their 30s [they retire]," Burke said. "I'm 36, so it's like, 'OK, time to hang up those shoes.'"
"I also don't want to be that oldie that's like, 'Here comes Cheryl and the same choreography, just going slow,'" she added.
Burke explained that the show has been a great experience for her, both professionally and personally. She met husband, actor Matthew Lawrence, through "DWTS," as his brother, Joey Lawrence, competed in season three.
And while injuries may make it tough for her to continue to compete, Burke -- who is dancing alongside Backstreet Boy AJ McLean and recently suffered a scary fall during rehearsals -- is hoping to sit at the judges' table in the future.
"It would be really great for me just to use my mouth and not my body," she said. "I mean, four judges? It's fine! Just give us each five seconds."
