Cheryl Burke's Stunning Hair Transformation

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"Dancing with the Stars" has seen so many celebrities compete over its 30-plus seasons. As a result, the show's professional dancers have become stars in their own right. Cheryl Burke is one such star, and she's been entertaining audiences since the show's second season in 2006, when she won the mirrorball trophy — only to win again the following season. Since then, Burke has appeared on "Dance Moms" and other television series, launched a podcast called "Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans," and become a beauty influencer. Her evolution over the past 20 years has included many makeovers, including a face transformation that left Cheryl Burke nearly unrecognizable, but the element she seems to enjoy playing around with the most is her hair. 

For years, Burke was known for her signature short cut, but she's embraced longer locks in recent years. She loves to try out different colors, and she frequently switches between styles so her mane never feels dated or overdone. What's more, Burke has admitted to using hair extensions during her dancing career, but often makes changes to her natural tresses for a bold beauty statement. From bangs to layers — and, of course, a headpiece or two in the ballroom — Burke has run the gamut on creative ways to revitalize her hair.  

Cheryl Burke first hit the "Dancing with the Stars" stage in 2006. She made her debut with a cute bob haircut that framed her face. Her jet-black hair flared out at the tips, complete with bangs that were swept to the side. It perfectly captured the motion of Burke's constant movement on the dance floor! The noir color of her tresses popped against her tan skin and sparkling dance outfits. Burke maintained this hairstyle for both of her consecutive wins on "DWTS" — and through the 2000s generally.

Although Burke decided that a textured bob was the right haircut for her, she would occasionally be seen with hair that reached her shoulders when it was appropriate for the style of dance she was performing — for example, a sensual Spanish tango. But these embellishments were only momentary, as "DWTS" costumes and hairstyles change from week to week. Temporary extensions and wigs are often used for the show, with judge Carrie Ann Inaba even admitting to wearing them on screen. Overall, Burke kept her natural short hair in tact and quickly became a fan favorite for both her look and her dancing skills.

As the 2010s began, Burke grew out her hair a tad and embraced bouncy curls. Her hair was still relatively short but would fall below her shoulders when straightened. Her curly mane became a constant when she promoted her 2011 memoir, "Dancing Lessons: How I Found Passion and Potential on the Dance Floor and in Life." Surprisingly, the photo of Burke on the book's cover saw her with straight hair in a mid-length cut and a side part. By 2012, Burke had shifted to longer hair and eventually opted for long waves with her bangs fully grown out. Her hair would begin parted on the side until it inched closer and closer to the center for a refined middle part. 

In 2013, Cheryl cut her hair into blunt bangs, and she experimented with long, straight hair before she returned to a shorter 'do for Season 17 of "Dancing with the Stars." Her short hair was kept casual and chic when paired with her stunning street style, but could be seen layered and voluminous at formal events. By the time she appeared on "Dance Moms" in 2017, Burke had settled on a mid-length look that was usually a simple sleek straight style, which allowed her makeup and clothing to stand out. She embraced this look for the next several years, even wearing it on her wedding day in 2019. 

Cheryl Burke's personal and professional life experienced some big changes in 2022, including her final season as a professional dancer on "Dancing with the Stars." She marked the occasion by switching up her hair and lightening the color to a luxurious dirty blond. The transition to a lighter shade allowed Burke's dark eyes to be the focal point of her face, especially as she kept her makeup neutral with light, soft tones like beige and taupe. She maintained her blond locks for the next year or so, growing her tresses longer to create mermaid-like beach waves, as seen in a December 2023 Instagram post.

While this was the lightest hair color the public had ever seen from Burke, it wasn't the first time she experimented with blond hair. In 2008, Burke started playing with blond highlights, which she would sporadically wear throughout her time as a pro on "DWTS." In 2024, Burke posted a photo of her teenage self on Instagram, and she surprisingly had honey-blond hair. The young dancer was nearly unrecognizably with golden locks, and she even wore frosty lip gloss, which was all the rage in the '90s and early 2000s.

Cheryl Burke went back to brunette hair in 2024, and her mane was growing increasingly long. At times, she curled the long tresses herself to give them a touch of edginess, but when she was seen with an unfortunate jellyfish haircut, it was obvious that the time had come for an update. After all, Miley Cyrus' jellyfish cut at the Grammys in 2025 was one of the biggest celebrity hair fails of the year. 

In October 2025, Burke returned to the signature look from when the public first met her: the bob. Burke marked the occasion on social media, posting a video on Instagram of herself at the salon with "#shesback." Days later, she celebrated the chop by making a cute Instagram video with the 2012 track "Out of My Mind" by B.o.B in which Nicki Minaj can be heard repeating the word "bob" over and over again. Unlike Burke's original bob from decades ago, this iteration is paired with blunt bangs that have a hint of choppiness to add dimension. Burke continues to prove why blunt bangs being back in thanks to Tumblr's twee renaissance is so chic. The even sides balance out and perfectly frame her face shape, making the star look unapologetically fashionable.