Chemistry and a drive to win
Source: news.inq7.net
By: Ruben V. Nepales
2/25/06LOS ANGELES—CHERYL BURKE, THE Filipino-American dancing partner of 98 Degrees’ Drew Lachey in “Dancing with the Stars” which climaxes Sunday night (Monday noon in Manila) may not speak Tagalog but, she quipped, “I can definitely understand it when my Mom starts talking about me.”
Mom is Sherri Bautista Burke, who came to the US as a nurse in 1977 and now runs three businesses in Daly City, California. The Novo Ecijana is married to Dr. Robert Wolf and counts among her family stepdaughter Mandy Wolf, Cheryl, and Nicole Wolf, who is the youngest daughter.
“My Dad and Mom used to take me to Filipino parties where I learned that a party is not fun without dancing,” Cheryl told me via e-mail. “Filipinos are natural dancers. The minute they hear music, they get up and show off their natural rhythm.”
Cheryl has the genes of a mother who is an amateur ballroom dancing competitor and a maternal lola who zealously taught folk dances as a PE teacher in Nueva Ecija. Cheryl remembered immediately liking ballet at age four, “from day one.”
When I asked the New York-based (but Bay Area-raised) ballroom dancing champion if she got a chance to talk with George Hamilton, one of the show’s contestants, about his dancing days with former First Lady Imelda Marcos, she replied in the negative. “George was so focused on Stacy [Keibler, one of the finalists],” Cheryl said.
Neither was she able to talk often with her fellow Fil-Am, actress Tia Carrere, who was earlier voted off.
Cheryl confessed that she did not know much about Drew or 98 Degrees before they were paired up for the show. Now, after going through hundreds of hours of rehearsals and dancing together all the way to the finals, the two are “close friends for life.”
While the pair has wowed the on-set judges and viewers who vote online and by phone with their tango (a perfect 30) and paso doble, Cheryl’s favorite dance with Drew was the Jive. Many consider wrestler Stacy Keibler and Tony Dovolani as Cheryl and Drew’s closest rival for the top prize. The other team is football’s Jerry Rice and Anna Trabunskaya.
As we write, Cheryl and Drew scored perfect scores with the judges Thursday evening so they look good as they go into the Sunday finals. Message boards were abuzz with raves about the duo’s cowboy dance, especially Cheryl’s choreography. Audience votes Thursday will make up 50 percent in the final determination of the winners while the judges’ vote on both Thursday and Sunday will count for the other 50 percent.
On its second season, “Dancing with the Stars” proved to have durable appeal. The show, fondly called by its acronym “DWTS” by followers, attracts as many as 20 million viewers each episode and even beats the popular “Survivor” in the ratings game.
Cheryl intends to visit the Philippines soon. “I want to personally thank Filipinos everywhere who voted and supported us,” she declared.
How is the Filipino side of you expressed in your dancing?
My musicality and ability to articulate beauty in my dancing—I feel that the Filipino in me makes that come out more naturally.
Did you perform Filipino folk dances in, for example, school shows?
Unfortunately, I never had that opportunity.
What do you enjoy most during visits to the Philippines?
Experiencing the culture and the unmatched Filipino hospitality. I have traveled all over the world to compete and I can proudly say that only Filipinos will offer their own bed to a guest and make him feel comfortable in their homes. I enjoy visiting my cousins and other relatives which, unfortunately, doesn’t happen too often.
What is your favorite Filipino food?
I wish I could have sinigang right now. I also like lumpiang shanghai, adobo, kare-kare—but no bagoong, please.
Did you and Tia Carrere get to talk about your shared Filipino heritage?
Tia is one of my favorites among the celebrity contestants. She is so down to earth and friendly. She is so Filipino in how she always wants to chat with another Filipino.
As a Filipino-American, how challenging is it to succeed in the world of dance, especially in the very competitive field of international ballroom dancing?
I think they consider me as American in the international dance world. In this field, heritage sometimes doesn’t matter unless you’re Russian. The stereotype Russians are “hungry” in that they really have the drive to do well.
You wrote once that Drew never gets nervous but you do. How does he make you comfortable?
Drew knows when I’m having those jitters and knows how to comfort me. We are very compatible that way.
How have you succeeded in getting him to move his hips the way you want him to? How much of a dance influence is his wife Lea since she is a choreographer, too, and dances with 98 Degrees?
We work on it week by week. Dancing is all about muscle memory. The more you do a certain move, the more it gets memorized by your muscle. While Lea has not done much choreography in a while (she is eight months pregnant), I try and get her opinion every once in a while on what looks good for Drew and me.
Why do you think that you and Drew did very well as a dancing couple?
From Day One, Drew has always wanted to win and has put in all the necessary work. More important, our chemistry on the floor contributes highly to our success.
Has Nick Lachey dropped by to watch you rehearse?
Nick has been in almost every show and has dropped by a couple of times to watch us practice.
What has been your most memorable moment as a team?
Our performance in Disneyland. I was so touched by the overwhelming reception from our fans.
Most fulfilling?
So far, making the finals.
Most frustrating?
Every Saturday morning when I have to come up with choreography to some music (chosen by the producers) that Drew and I are not familiar with.
What’s your advice to Filipinos who dream of making it in the international ballroom dancing arena?
If this is something you enjoy, keep your determination intact. Never give up until you reach your goals.
Is this experience exactly as you imagined it would be?
Although I am enjoying it, I didn’t have the slightest clue that it would be this hectic. Because I am so driven, I tend to give it 110 percent all the time. I have ended up devoting my entire life training Drew and making him look good on the dance floor.
In your bio on the show’s website, it states that you feel that your greatest achievements in dancing are still to come. What do you dream of towards this goal?
It is my goal to accomplish my maternal grandmother’s mission to promote dance, bring it to a higher level of sophistication and deliver it to a much bigger audience.