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Derek Hough

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Derek Hough is a talented performer who shares his skills through dance, music, and acting. He is a professional ballroom and Latin dancer, but he also sings and acts. Many people know him from his work on television and on big stages. He has even worked as a judge for dance competitions. His life is filled with movement and creativity.

Derek's journey with dance started very early in his life. He grew up in Sandy, Utah, in a family that loved dance. His parents actually met while they were on a ballroom dancing team in college. When he was 12 years old, he moved to London to study. He lived there for ten years to train with expert coaches. At a school called the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, he learned many styles. He practiced jazz, ballet, tap, gymnastics, and singing.

He became a very successful professional dancer and choreographer. In 2002, he won the IDSF World Latin U-21 Championship. He also won the Blackpool U-21 Latin title in 2003. Derek is very good at choreography, which is the art of creating dance moves. Because of this skill, he has won four Emmy Awards. These are special awards for excellence in television. He has also been nominated for the award 14 times.

Derek is most famous for his time on the show Dancing with the Stars. He was a professional dancer on the series from 2007 to 2016. During those years, he won the Mirror Ball trophy a record six times. He won with many different celebrity partners. For example, he won with Brooke Burke in season seven. He also won with Nicole Scherzinger in season ten. Later, he won with Jennifer Grey in season eleven. He even won again with Kellie Pickler in season sixteen.

Beyond television, Derek has worked on many other exciting projects. He helped ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White with their routine for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Their dance helped them win a gold medal for the United States. He also went on tour with his sister, Julianne Hough. Their tour was called "Move Live on Tour" and visited many cities. Derek is also a musician who can play the piano, guitar, drums, and bass.

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