Derek Hough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Derek Hough
Hough in 2018
Born	Derek Bruce Hough (1985-05-17) May 17, 1985 (age 40) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Education	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation	Dancer choreographer actor singer television judge
Years active	2001–present
Spouse(s)	Hayley Erbert ​ (m. 2023)​
Relatives	Julianne Hough (sister)
Awards	Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography: Dancing with the Stars (2013, 2015, 2021, 2023)

Derek Hough, born on May 17, 1985, is a famous American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is best known for being a professional dancer on the TV show Dancing with the Stars from 2007 to 2016. He won the show six times, which is a record! He also won four Emmy Awards for his amazing dance routines. Later, he became a judge on Dancing with the Stars starting with its 29th season.

Derek has also acted on stage in musicals like Footloose: The Musical in London and the New York Spring Spectacular. He starred in the movie Make Your Move and had a role in the TV show Nashville. In 2016, he played Corny Collins in the live TV musical Hairspray Live!. From 2017 to 2020, Derek was also a judge on the dance competition show World of Dance.

Derek Hough & Julianne Hough 2014 Kaleidoscope Ball

Growing Up and Learning to Dance

Derek Hough grew up in Sandy, Utah, near Salt Lake City. He is one of five children. His parents, Marianne and Bruce Hough, were also dancers. In fact, all of his grandparents were dancers too! His parents met while on a ballroom dancing team in college. Derek is also related to the Lynch family, who are musicians from the band R5.

When Derek was 12, his parents sent him to London to live and train with famous dance coaches, Corky and Shirley Ballas. His sister, Julianne Hough, joined him a few months later. Derek planned to stay for only three months but ended up living in London for ten years! The Ballas family helped Derek and Julianne, along with their own son, Mark Ballas, to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. There, they learned singing, acting, gymnastics, and many types of dance like jazz, ballet, and tap. The three kids even formed a pop music group called 2B1G ("2 Boys, 1 Girl") and performed in dance competitions and on TV shows. Besides dancing, Derek can also play the piano, guitar, drums, and bass.

Dance Career Highlights

Derek Hough has achieved many amazing things in his dance career.

Competitive Dancing and Awards

Derek won the IDSF World Latin U-21 Championship in 2002. He also won the Blackpool U-21 Latin title in 2003 with his partner Aneta Piotrowska. He has been named the LA Outstanding Dancer of the Year and won the New York Dance Alliance Outstanding Dance awards.

In 2013, the Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography was presented live for the first time. Derek, who was nominated for Dancing with the Stars, performed a dance with the show's host, Neil Patrick Harris. Derek then won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography that night. He won his second Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography in 2015, sharing it with his sister Julianne Hough and Tessandra Chavez. Overall, Derek has been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards for his choreography, winning four times.

Choreographing for the Olympics

In 2013, Derek worked with world champion ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White. He helped them create a routine for their 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics short dance program. This routine included quickstep and foxtrot moves. Davis and White went on to win the gold medal with the routine, making Olympic history for the United States. Derek said it was a true honor to work with them.

Move Live On Tour

In 2014, Derek and his sister Julianne announced their "Move Live on Tour." This tour featured dancing and singing from both of them, along with a group of talented dancers. They performed in over 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada. The tour was so popular that they added more shows, which also sold out. They worked with choreographers Nappytabs for the tour.

Because the 2014 tour was such a big hit, the Houghs brought back "Move Live on Tour" in the summer of 2015. This time, they visited even larger venues in over 40 cities. Nappytabs also returned as choreographers.

In 2016, the Houghs started free fitness events called 'Move Interactive' in Los Angeles. These events included workouts, runs, and dance fitness classes. Derek said the goal was to "bring health, love, community and human interaction into our everyday lives." In December 2016, they announced a new tour for 2017 called MOVE BEYOND Live on Tour.

Dancing with the Stars Journey

Derek Hough first appeared on Dancing with the Stars as a guest instructor in season four. He officially joined as a professional dancer in season five.

Winning Seasons

Derek holds the record for the most wins by a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, with six Mirror Ball trophies.

• Season 7 (2008): He won with model and TV host Brooke Burke.
• Season 10 (2010): He won with singer Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls.
• Season 11 (2010): He won with actress Jennifer Grey, famous for Dirty Dancing.
• Season 16 (2013): He won with country singer Kellie Pickler.
• Season 17 (2013): He won with Glee star Amber Riley. This was his fifth win and his second back-to-back victory.
• Season 21 (2015): He won with wildlife conservationist Bindi Irwin. This marked his sixth win on the show.

Other Notable Partnerships

Derek had many other memorable partnerships on the show:

• Season 5: With actress Jennie Garth, finishing fourth.
• Season 6: With actress Shannon Elizabeth, finishing sixth.
• Season 8: With rapper Lil' Kim, finishing fifth.
• Season 9: With model Joanna Krupa, finishing fourth.
• Season 13: With actress and TV host Ricki Lake, finishing third.
• Season 14: With television personality Maria Menounos, finishing fourth.
• Season 15 (All Stars): With Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, finishing as runners-up.
• Season 18: With paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy, finishing as runners-up.
• Season 19: With YouTube personality Bethany Mota, finishing fourth.
• Season 20: With gymnast Nastia Liukin, finishing fourth.
• Season 23: With actress Marilu Henner, finishing sixth.

Derek took a break from season 12 to work on a film. He also did not return for season 22. In 2020, Derek became a judge on Dancing with the Stars, replacing Len Goodman. He continued as a judge for seasons 30 and 31, and became the interim head judge for season 32 after Len Goodman's retirement and passing.

Celebrity Partners and Scores

Acting and Other Projects

Beyond dancing, Derek Hough has explored acting and other creative ventures.

Theater Performances

Derek's early theater work included playing the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar and dancing in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in London.

In 2006, he starred as Ren in the musical Footloose: The Musical in London's West End and on a UK tour. His performance earned him a nomination for The Stuart Phillips London Newcomer of the Year award. Derek made his Broadway debut in 2010 in Burn the Floor. In 2015, he appeared in the New York Spring Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

Film and Television Roles

Derek had small roles in the movies Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and Rock of Ages (2012). In 2011, he took a break from Dancing with the Stars to star in his first movie, Make Your Move, which came out in 2014.

On TV, Derek made a guest appearance on the show Better with You in 2011. From 2014 to 2016, he had a recurring role as Noah West in the ABC series Nashville. In 2016, he guest starred on Jane the Virgin. He also played Corny Collins in the live NBC musical Hairspray Live! in December 2016.

Other Media Projects

Derek was a panelist on the BBC One show DanceX in 2007. He also choreographed and performed in Cheryl Cole's "Parachute" music video.

He was a founding member of the Ballas Hough Band, where he sang, played guitar, and wrote songs for their 2009 album. Derek directed the music video for Mark Ballas' song "Get My Name" in 2014.

His first book, Taking the Lead: Lessons from a Life in Motion, was released in 2014 and became a New York Times Best Seller. In 2015, Derek and Mark Ballas bought and renovated a house, which was shown in a four-episode series on HGTV called Mark & Derek's Excellent Flip.

In 2016, Derek appeared in and choreographed the music video for Lindsey Stirling's song "The Arena." He also participated in the celebrity edition of American Ninja Warrior for Red Nose Day in 2017. In 2018, he performed on the alternative metal band Breaking Benjamin's album Ember.

In September 2019, Derek hosted an NBC special called Return to Downton Abbey: A Grand Event. In November 2019, he had emergency surgery for appendicitis but quickly recovered and shared a video of himself dancing. In September 2020, he signed a big deal with ABC Entertainment.

Personal Life

Derek Hough married fellow dancer Hayley Erbert on August 26, 2023, in Monterey County, California. They started dating in 2015 after meeting during the Move Live Tour in 2014. In July 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Theater

Awards and Honors

Derek Hough is a four-time Emmy winner for Outstanding Choreography. He has received 14 Emmy nominations in total for his work on Dancing with the Stars.

In 2014, Derek and his sister Julianne were honored with the Kaleidoscope Award at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. This award is given to people in entertainment who bring joy to children through their work and kindness. Also in 2014, GLSEN honored Derek with their Inspiration Award.

See also

In Spanish: Derek Hough para niños