The only time a woman celebrity took the "Dancing" crown was on season one with Kelly Monaco and Cristian De La Fuente was hoping past history rules won’t change and hoping for victory. But in the end, the talent rule prevails. Kristi Yamaguchi with a perfect score of 60 from the two dances on Monday show, wins the 2008 Dancing with the Stars with celebrity partner Mark Ballas. Football star Jason Taylor was the 1st runner up while Latino heartthrob Cristian De la Fuente partnered with Fil-Am professional dancer Cheryl Burke settled for third place. Figure-skating champ Yamaguchi has regularly topped the judges' scoreboard throughout the sixth season of the ABC dance-off. But viewer votes count just as much, and the combination is what determines the winner and Kristi deserves to win without a doubt.

Cheryl Bautista Burke - (born May 12, 1984) is a two time Emmy nominated professional dancer. As the professional dancer partner, she won the competition in the second and third seasons of ABC's American version of Dancing with the Stars with celebrity dance partners Drew Lachey (February 2006) and Emmitt Smith (November 2006). Burke grew up in Atherton, California. She is of Filipino, Irish and Russian descent. Her family dances recreationally and have a dance floor at home. At 4 years old, she began taking ballet lessons and performing locally. She first began ballroom dancing and decided to change her focus. She is in the lineup of the 2008 season paired with celebrity Cristian De La Fuente.

Cheryl Burke made Dancing With The Stars franchise history by becoming the 1st professional dancers to win two championships, each. Furthermore, she also made Dancing With The Stars history by becoming the 1st professional dancers to win back to back titles. Cheryl Burke won her first Dancing With The Stars Championship with 98 Degrees boy band member Drew Lachey in the second season and won her second championship with NFL star Emmitt Smith in the third season.

In season 6 of Dancing with the Stars, Cheryl Burke's celebrity partner Cristian De La Fuente seems to have pulled a muscle or a ligament during their 2nd dance routine of the night live in front of the camera. He was seen trying to suck up the pain but continued to dance while Cheryl was confused if Cristian forgot the dance number or just slipped the arm-hold. He ended up rolling in pain after the dance and was able get up. He was sent to the hospital to check it out or as a precautionary measure.

Fil-Am Wins Asian Excellence Award - Cheryl Burke wins viewers choice as the Favorite TV Personality of the year edging another Dancing with the Stars personality Carrie Ann Inaba in the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards held on April 23 at the Royce Hall of UCLA. The Asian Excellence Awards is an annual celebration honoring outstanding achievements of Asians and Asian Americans in film, television, music, and the performing arts as part of the month long festivities of Asian Heritage Month.

Cheryl Burke and Drew Lachey were the first couple that the judges have awarded perfect 60 out of 60 on the same night on season 2 week 8 of Dancing with the Stars Paso dancing Paso Doble and Freestyle. The Judges also presented a countdown of their choices for the top 10 perfect-scoring dances of the first five seasons and Cheryl Burke with celebrity partner Drew Lachey landing on number 4.