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Derek Hough

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Derek Bruce Hough is a multi-talented American performer. He is a professional ballroom and Latin dancer, a choreographer, and an actor. He also works as a singer and a television personality. Hough has made a significant impact on the world of dance and entertainment. His career spans many different platforms, including television, film, stage, and live tours. He is widely recognized for his technical skill and his ability to create movement.

Hough's professional journey began with intense training in London. When he was 12 years old, he moved to England to study. He lived there for ten years under the guidance of coaches Corky and Shirley Ballas. During this time, he attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. He received comprehensive training in many disciplines. These included jazz, ballet, tap, gymnastics, and theater. He also learned to sing and became a musician. He can play the piano, guitar, drums, and bass.

As a competitive dancer, Hough achieved high honors early in his career. In 2002, he won the IDSF World Latin U-21 Championship. He followed this by winning the Blackpool U-21 Latin title in 2003. He also earned the LA Outstanding Dancer of the Year award. Beyond performing, he is a highly skilled choreographer. Choreography is the art of designing and arranging dance movements. His skill in this area has earned him 14 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography four times.

Hough is perhaps most famous for his work on the ABC series Dancing with the Stars. He served as a professional dancer on the show from 2007 to 2016. During this period, he set a record by winning the Mirror Ball trophy six times. He achieved these victories with various celebrity partners. He won his first title with Brooke Burke in season seven. He won again with Nicole Scherzinger in season ten. He won a third time with Jennifer Grey in season eleven. He won a fourth time with Kellie Pickler in season sixteen. He won a fifth time with Amber Riley in season seventeen. Finally, he won his sixth title with Bindi Irwin in season twenty-one.

His influence extends to major international sporting events and large-scale productions. In 2013, Hough collaborated with ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White. He worked on their short dance program for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The routine required specific quickstep and foxtrot rhythms. Davis and White won the gold medal, marking the first Olympic title in this event for the United States. Hough also co-starred in the film Make Your Move. He appeared in the musical-drama series Nashville and the live production Hairspray Live!.

Hough has also found great success as a live touring artist. In 2014, he and his sister, Julianne Hough, launched the "Move Live on Tour." This tour visited over 40 cities across the United States and Canada. The show featured both dancing and singing. Due to high demand and sold-out venues, they returned with a second tour in 2015. This second tour also visited more than 40 cities and used larger venues. They collaborated with choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo, known as Nappytabs. In 2016, they also hosted "Move Interactive," a free fitness pop-up event in Los Angeles.

Today, Hough continues to be a major figure in dance media. He transitioned from a professional dancer to a judge on several programs. He served as a judge on the NBC series World of Dance from 2017 to 2020. He also became a judge on Dancing with the Stars starting in its 29th season. He replaced Len Goodman as a judge on the show. In September 2025, Hough began hosting the program Extra for its 32nd season. His career demonstrates how dance skills can lead to diverse roles in television and music.

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