Derek Hough has been an essential part of Dancing With the Stars for over a decade, going from a record-breaking winner as a dance partner for celebrity contestants to a judge. Along the way, the Emmy Award-winning dancer has become a star in his own right, gaining a loyal following thanks to his captivating moves and charming personality.
Hough is currently touring the country with his festive Dance for the Holidays show and he also recently partnered with Greenies pet food. “ I could talk about my dog for hours,” he says with a smile. “We’ve been hitting 40 cities across the country, and Luna is our tour dog. She comes with us on the road and travels amazingly.”
Hough spoke to First for Women about being a dog dad, what fans can expect from his tour and his long journey with Dancing With the Stars.
First for Women: What has it been like bringing your dog on tour?
Derek Hough: One of my favorite things about her is that on tour we load in all the equipment and sets and lights every day, and you have these big burly crew members with beards and tattoos and cigarettes, and then they see Luna walk through and they all go, “Oh my gosh, look at the puppy!” They just light up.
She also snuck up onstage in the middle of a show one time, which was hilarious. We couldn’t find her after the first act, and we heard the audience cheering and laughing. I walked out there and she had made her way onto the stage and was licking and kissing all the people in the front row’s faces. It was pretty awesome.
FFW: What can audiences expect to see in Dance for the Holidays?
DH: The show is high-energy. We have an incredible cast of dancers who are all just remarkable, plus a live band and elaborate costumes and lighting. It’s a full production.
It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also very emotional. People are always surprised by that, and they always tell me afterwards that they didn’t expect to cry. There are a handful of moments in the show where people reflect on their own experiences and the people in their lives. It’s important to incorporate emotion and authenticity into the show so we can really connect with each other and have a shared experience.
It’s my first time doing a holiday show like this, and I think we’ll probably do it again next year. The response has been really special, and has exceeded our expectations in terms of the turnout and the energy and love and support.
FFW: You started on Dancing With the Stars in 2007. What has your journey with the show been like?
DH: The show has come so far. It’s changed so much, and it hasn’t changed at all at the same time. The production, the lighting and the quality of the cameras have all gotten so much better, but the heart of the show has remained the same, as far as the connections with the partners, the challenges and the triumphs. It’s wild to think that it’s more popular than ever in season 33. The heart of the show is what’s special, and that’s why I think it’s been around for so long.
It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it. What’s really cool for me is that as a kid, I was bullied for being a dancer. I went to six different schools. I just couldn’t fit in. Now, you have these Super Bowl champions and big-time athletes coming on wanting to learn how to dance. It’s opened up the world of dance and the understanding and respect for dancers as artistic athletes. For me to see that growth over the past 17 years has been amazing. It brings me so much joy.
FFW: Having been a dancer for so long, what keeps you coming back to the art form?
DH: One thing I love about dance is that it really is the universal language. Movement transcends language. When people say, “I don’t dance,” I’m always like, “Well, when did you decide that?” Because I bet there’s a time when you were a kid jumping up and down on your couch and moving around to music and being a free spirit. If you look at a baby, before they can walk or crawl, you can put music on and they’ll start bouncing and bobbing their heads. It’s something that’s in us all.
Dance is a way to get into the primal part of who we are. When we say dance, people can get scared of that, but really it’s just movement. To be a part of that on Dancing With the Stars and to see people reconnect to something about themselves or discover a part of themselves they didn’t know they had has been a gift.
Being onstage now, I never thought in a million years that I’d be able to perform for all these people as a dancer with my own show. I could not be more thankful, and I’ll never take that for granted. Dancing has opened up so many doors for me.
