Derek Hough

Derek Hough was born on May 17, 1985, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His early life was immersed in dance; at age 12, he moved to London to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, where he trained in various dance forms, singing, theater, and gymnastics for ten years. This foundational training prepared him for a multifaceted career in performance. In his competitive dancing career, Derek achieved early success, winning the IDSF World Latin U-21 Championship in 2002 and the Blackpool U-21 Latin title in 2003 with Aneta Piotrowska. He also earned the LA Outstanding Dancer of the Year and New York Dance Alliance Outstanding Dance awards.

Hough became widely known for his role as a professional dancer on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” from 2007 to 2016, where he secured a record-breaking six wins with celebrity partners. His exceptional choreography on the show led to 14 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography, with him winning the award four times. Beyond competitive dancing, he choreographed a routine for world champion ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, for which they won a gold medal. His career further expanded into acting with roles in film, including “Make Your Move” (2013), and television, with recurring appearances in “Nashville” (2014–2016) and a role in “Hairspray Live!” (2016). In 2017, he joined NBC’s “World of Dance” as a judge.

In September 2020, Derek Hough transitioned into a judging role on “Dancing with the Stars,” replacing Len Goodman, and continued in this capacity for subsequent seasons. He became the interim head judge for season 32 following Goodman’s retirement and passing. His theatrical credits include originating the role of Ren in “Footloose: The Musical” in London’s West End (2006) and performing in the “New York Spring Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall (2015). In 2014, his book “Taking the Lead: Lessons from a Life in Motion” became a New York Times Best Seller, reflecting his influence beyond performance.