He’s ready to work, bitch. Cody Rigsby can’t wait to dance to a classic Britney Spears song during week three of Dancing With the Stars — and he’s hopeful that his partner, Cheryl Burke, will be able to join him in the ballroom as she battles coronavirus.
“It’s kind of all up in the air [how rehearsals will work],” the Peloton instructor, 34, told Us Weekly and other reporters after the Monday, September 27, show. “We’ve got a few options here, so obviously, so option A is that I rehearse with a sub partner for the entire week, and I also perform with that person depending on when Cheryl is cleared. Then the other option might be I dance with a sub and then Cheryl is safe the day [of the show] last minute and dances with me on Monday. That’s to be determined. All of this is kind of determined by people who know a lot more about COVID and CDC guidelines, so we’re at the helm of their duty.”
Despite being vaccinated, Burke, 37, tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, September 26, one day before week two’s live show. The pair were able to remain in the competition on Monday night, but could not come into the ballroom. Instead, the judges scored them based on a dance taped during their rehearsals earlier in the week.
“Cheryl is going to be in the Zoom calls … teaching choreography, giving notes and being there every step of the way,” the fitness guru added on Monday about their plans for next week. The professional dancer noted that the music is “fierce” for week three.
“Cody has his moment in the beginning and he’s just gonna go for it, but we still have to do a cha cha, obviously, and we need to represent the challenge which is cha cha content,” the two-time champ added. “But there’s a lot where we are using the whole floor, like, the whole ballroom for sure. … I’m gonna be the ultimate Dance Mom right over here [from home]. I’m really good at it, it comes naturally.”
The California native also gave reporters an update on her health, noting that she felt completely “normal” on Monday night.
“Yesterday for me was pretty bad. I was super congested, I could not breathe out of my nose. Today, after I got a good night’s sleep, I feel normal,” Burke explained, adding that the outpouring of support has helped. “Everyone’s sending me chicken soup! I’ve got, like, a year’s supply of chicken soup decanters and I’ve got so many cases. Everyone’s been so sweet. It’s been really nice to get all the support and people giving me their well-wishes. It’s appreciated.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
