Everything You Need to Know About Dancing with the Stars Legend Derek Hough, Including His Engagement!

Six-time Mirrorball Trophy winner and three-time Emmy-winning choreographer Derek Hough is happy to admit he owes all of those accolades to ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, so when he was invited to join the judges' table full-time alongside Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonoli, he jumped at the chance. (He judged in place of Goodman, who couldn't travel due to COVID-19 during season 29.)

“I love this show so much, I always have and always will,” Hough said during a DWTS Zoom junket before season 29 launched. “It is just the joy it brings and the pure entertainment that the show represents. I think a little bit of sparkle, a little bit of joy, a little bit of pure entertainment is going to be really, really, really helpful and good for the soul.”

Hough has also added some sparkle of his own to the show with his insightful and exuberant comments for the dancing pairs, but, having been there himself, who better to know what advice is appreciated?

“My judging style is very physical,” he said. “I literally can’t contain myself. I’m very physical and very loud in my body language if you will, but my goal is to encourage, to inspire, but it’s also to be honest and to be truthful because I really genuinely want these celebrities to have a really great experience and to get better.”

Want to know more about the dancing king? Here’s everything you need to know about Derek Hough:

Who is Derek Hough?

Hough is a three-time Emmy winner for his choreography on Dancing with the Stars and a six-time winner of the mirrorball trophy with partners Brooke Burke, Nicole Scherzinger, Bindi Irwin, Amber Riley, Jennifer Grey and Kellie Pickler.

Hough began dancing in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 11, following which his parents sent him and sister Julianne to London to train with some of the best dance coaches in the world and attend the prestigious Italia Conti performing arts school where he studied theater, music and dance.

Related: Is Derek Hough as Good as Len Goodman on Dancing with the Stars?

Dancing with the Stars was Hough’s big break and he has parlayed it into an enviable career, which also included judging the contestants on NBC’s World of Dance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo.

His acting credits include Nashville, Hairspray Live! and High School Musical: The Musical—The Series. And when the world returns to normal, Hough will begin a residency in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Las Vegas with his show Derek Hough: No Limit.

How old is Derek Hough?

Hough was born on May 17, 1985 in Salt Lake City, Utah, making him 36.

How much is Derek Hough worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Derek Hough’s net worth as of 2022 is estimated to be around $8 million.

We don't know exactly how he earned those millions, but dancing—specifically Dancing with the Stars—had a lot to do with it.

Disney has revealed Dancing with the Stars salaries, but it's been estimated that he earns about $1.2 million per season as a judge on the show. That's a significant boost from the estimated $5,000/week he earned as a dance pro.

Derek and friend and fellow DWTS pro Mark Ballas turned a quick profit back in 2014 when they flipped a '60s ranch house and collected an estimated profit of $575,000. The pair's flip was featured on an episode of HGTV's Excellent Flip.

We have to assume he makes a lot of money from side projects and sponsorships too. Derek Hough has 3 million followers on Instagram, which means he can charge a pretty penny when it comes to putting his face beside your favorite brand.

In the past, he's partnered with Chase Bank's teacher's campaign and America's egg farmers.

Is Derek Hough engaged?

He is! Hough and girlfriend Hayley Erbert, who have been dating since 2015, are now engaged they confirmed on a joint June 2 Instagram post. They wrote, “It’s only the beginning … the beginning of forever ??,” confirming the news.! They met in 2014 when Hayley joined Derek and sister Julianne Hough's Move Life Tour.

See the ring, which Derek designed with the help of Chau Lui, co-owner of Paris Jewellers, and is four and a half carats, and hear their engagement story in the video below.

"It took me months to find, it genuinely did," Derek exclusively told E! News at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards on June 12. "I searched far and wide and landed on this beautiful ring and I love it. It's flawless."

Earlier Derek told ET, “I want to marry once. I want to be with that person that I love dearly. I want to get to know that person. I feel like, if anything, it’s something that I don’t feel like should be rushed into doing at all.”

Related: Everything We Know About Derek Hough's Girlfriend and His Plans to Propose

Who is Derek Hough dating?

Upgrade that to engaged to! Hough and Erbert kept their relationship on the DL for as long as possible, but he told ET that they finally went public because it was getting tiring keeping it a secret.

"It was liberating, honestly, just being like, 'Hey, this is our relationship. This is cool. This is what it is and it's great,'" he said to ET about going public. "I think I just kind of got almost conditioned to feel or believe that I have to hide everything. When in reality I was just like, 'You know what? There's a freedom to just being open about it.'"

Who is Derek Hough's girlfriend?

Make that fiancée! Hough’s girlfriend, Hayley Erbert, 27, hails from Topeka, Kansas and has been dancing since she was 3 years old. While still in high school, she competed on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, making it to the Top 3 women. She is trained in multiple styles of dance, which has stood her in good stead and allowed her to work with music stars Pitbull, Carrie Underwood and Paula Abdul.

Hough and Erbert met when she was one of the troupe dancers on season 21 of Dancing with the Stars. Since then, she joined Julianne and Derek for both versions of their Move Live On Tour. In addition, Erbert has taken part in three Dancing with the Stars: Live! North American tours.

Related: How to Vote for Your Favorite Stars on Dancing with the Stars

Who has Derek Hough dated?

This list of Hough’s exes includes Cheryl Cole, Nina Dobrev, Shannon Elizabeth and India de Beaufort.

How tall is Derek Hough?

Hough's height is 5-feet, 10-inches.

Related: Everything We Know So Far About Derek Hough’s Return to the Dance Floor on Dancing With the Stars

Related: See Witney Carson’s Sweet Pregnancy Announcement

What is Derek Hough doing now?

Hough is expected to return as a judge on Dancing with the Stars season 31, following four seasons on NBC’s World of Dance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo. And now that showrooms are open once again in Las Vegas, Hough performs in residency at the The Venetian with Derek Hough: No Limit.

How many siblings does Derek Hough have?

Derek grew up the fourth of five children. He has four sisters: Sharee, Marabeth, Katherine and Julianne.

Where is Derek Hough from?

Derek Hough, the son of Marianne and Bruce Hough, is from Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. All of his grandparents were dancers, and his parents met while on a ballroom dancing team in college in Idaho. When Hough was 12, his parents were divorcing and sent him to London to live and study with dance coaches Corky and Shirley Ballas. He remained in London for a decade.

Who is Derek Hough's sister?

Hough has the four aforementioned sisters—Sharee, Marabeth, Katherine and Julianne—but it is Julianne Hough that you would best know as she became well-known as a two-time professional champion on Dancing with the Stars before making the transition to acting. Her film credits include Safe Haven, Paradise, Rock of Ages, Footloose, Dirty Grandpa and Bigger. She also starred on TV in Grease Live! and the “Jolene” episode of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.

Need more deets? Catch up on all-things Dancing with the Stars!

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