Former “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer Cheryl Burke feels bad that first-time pro dancer Ezra Sosa is partnered with controversial contestant Anna Delvey for season 33.
Speaking on her podcast “Sex, Lies & Spray Tans,” on September 19, the two-time mirrorball champion hinted that Sosa got a raw deal when he was promoted from the DWTS troupe to a full pro.
“Poor Ezra,” Burke said on her podcast. “For his first season, you know, he really not only has to deal with all of this press and attention for the very first time, but he also has to somehow crack her open.”
Burke was referring to Delvey’s polarizing demeanor and odd sense of humor that has been off-putting to fans. “Ezra, get a therapist in that room if you can,” Burke suggested.
In 2019, Delvey, also known as Anna Sorokin, was convicted of attempted grand larceny, three grand larceny counts, and four misdemeanor charges of theft of service while posing as a German heiress, according to CNN. She is now under house arrest and must wear a GPS ankle monitor.
Burke called the mood during Delvey’s premiere night cha cha a “Debbie Downer.” Following the dance, judge Carrie Ann Inaba called out the audience for the “shift in the energy” in the room when the convicted felon stepped onto the dance floor.
Cheryl Burke Thinks Anna Delvey Should Have Been Partnered With a Different Pro Dancer
DisneyEzra Sosa, Val Chmerkovskiy of “Dancing With the STars.”
Burke has strong opinions about Delvey’s partnership with Sosa. She told Us Weekly that she would have preferred to see Delvey paired with a more seasoned pro instead of the 23-year-old newbie. “I really wish that she would have been paired with Val [Chmerkovskiy] because I think Val would have cracked her open a little bit as far as like finding some sort of emotion, whatever emotion she needed to express,” Burke told the outlet. “Because I think that there’s a disconnect.”
Burke explained that Delvey’s guard is up so she needs a partner who can help her open up on the dance floor.
In an interview with Hello magazine, Burke said of reigning mirrorball champion Chmerkovskiy, “I think he would have cracked her open, [helped her become] more vulnerable because of his experience on the show versus someone like Ezra, who is amazing.”
Of Sosa, she added, “To give him somebody who’s a little complex, that’s a lot for a first season, I would think.”
Chmerkovskiy is partnered with “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Phaedra Parks for season 33.
Cheryl Burke Says Fans Can’t ‘Relate’ To Anna Delvey
Disney/Eric McCandlessJulianne Hough, Anna Delvey, and Ezra Sosa.
On her podcast, Burke noted that viewers don’t understand Delvey’s sense of humor. Following her premiere night cha cha, host Julianne Hough asked Delvey how she was feeling after her performance. “I feel happy that I don’t have to do this dance again,” she told Hough.
Burke noted of the awkward exchange, “This is what I mean. As funny and dry as it is, most of America I don’t think will relate to her.”
“People are not happy about her being on the show,” Burke said. “She’s continuing to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths because she’s not willing to be vulnerable. …So, the only way that she can change people’s minds is if she shows emotion.”
Burke said she hopes Sosa can crack Delvey open “because she is human,” after all. “She’s not a robot. There is a heart in there somewhere, right?“ Burke added.
Even if Delvey shows her vulnerability, Burke admitted there are other concerns about her casting on the show. “It’s one thing to have been convicted and have served time,” Burke told Hello. “But the fact that she still is under house arrest? I’m not sure what type of messaging that sends to families that watch and teenagers.”
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