As someone who’s always been fascinated by connection, I’ve been so inspired watching Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert. While Derek often leads on the dance floor, gracefully spinning Hayley, what truly shines is how they’re building a life together – a beautiful partnership, taken one step at a time.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m always inspired by stories of resilience, and this one truly touched me. It’s incredible to see this couple not only thriving professionally, but also prioritizing their connection and adventures together. After Hayley’s scary health battle last December – she needed emergency surgery for a brain hematoma – her remarkably quick recovery allowed them to tour together not once, not twice, but *three* times last year! It just shows what a strong partnership – and a positive attitude – can achieve.
Just four months after their wedding, their commitment to supporting each other through good times and bad was truly tested. Everyone, including the couple themselves, was moved to tears when she returned to *Dancing With the Stars* last October. She and her husband, Derek, performed a touching routine together, set to the song “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone.
Derek jokingly told TopMob News in March that despite only being married for a year and a half, it felt like a lifetime spent with his wife. He explained they’d quickly found a great rhythm and were very happy, feeling lucky and focusing on appreciating each other and all the good things in their lives.
Though they were experts at partner dancing, they’re now preparing for a family of three! Hayley, who will turn 31 on October 11th, announced in July that she and her partner are expecting their first child.
Derek, who is 40 and expecting children, shared a post from the premiere of *Tron: Ares* on October 6th, calling it a “Date Night with my Babies.” He’s been playfully referring to multiple ‘babies’ ever since he and his wife announced they were expecting, using the hashtag #babyhough.
Life hasn’t always been easy for them, but now they can’t picture themselves with anyone else. They’re perfect together.
I always say life can take such unexpected turns! I first met my husband while working on the ‘Move Live on Tour 2014’ – he and his sister, Julianne Hough, hired me as a dancer. It was an amazing experience, and the following year, I was thrilled to join the professional dancers on *Dancing with the Stars* – a dream come true!
Derek and his partner began dating in 2015, but it wasn’t long before he proposed. The six-time *Dancing with the Stars* champion revealed in a November 2023 podcast interview on *Couple Things With Shawn Johnson and Andrew East* that he grew up with divorced parents, which initially made him hesitant about marriage.
Derek explained he just didn’t see the value in it. He felt content and didn’t think it was something he needed to pursue.
He observed that over time, they began to spend more time with couples and people who had strong, healthy relationships.
Even Derek and Hayley went through many phases in their relationship, as he described it. They openly acknowledged this in their wedding vows, recognizing they’d faced incredibly difficult challenges – the kind that often break couples apart – and overcome them together.
He explained that their relationship had moments where it felt completely finished—but he meant that as a positive thing, like it had run its natural course and found peace.
He said their romantic relationship was finished, but he proposed they start a new one, essentially redefining their connection and beginning again as a different couple.
And each relationship they’ve had, Hayley said, “is better than the last.”
I was so thrilled to witness them get married on August 26th, 2023! The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, held outdoors at the stunning Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, California.
Hayley remembered her wedding scenery was beautiful, but she was so focused on her groom, Derek, while walking down the aisle in her custom Marchesa gown that she didn’t notice anything else. She said she didn’t even hear the guests.
Derek gave Hayley all the credit for planning their wedding. He said she handled every detail, from the logistics to the overall organization, and did a “masterful” job. He also raved about the dancing, giving it a perfect 10 out of 10.
Hayley realized the pressure came from wanting everything to be perfect, knowing this was a unique opportunity. But then she shifted her perspective, realizing it only needed to be perfect for her and her team.
Then it was onto their two-week Italian honeymoon, after which they headed out on tour.
Derek shared on the *Couple Things* podcast that he focuses on taking things one day at a time, explaining that thinking too far ahead feels overwhelming. Little did he and his wife know, just a month later, they’d face another difficult challenge together.
Immediately after their concert in Washington, D.C. on December 6, 2023, Hayley became sick and needed emergency surgery. Doctors discovered a burst blood vessel was putting pressure on her brain, and they acted quickly to relieve it.
Derek explained on the podcast that their wedding and garden dinner were symbolic. He said it represented growth and the beauty found in nature’s imperfections – the tangled, messy, and sometimes chaotic aspects that make it so lovely.
And now he couldn’t feel more blessed to be planting roots with Hayley.
He shared with TopMob that he was dreaming of becoming a father, and said their relationship had grown even stronger and more fulfilling.
He explained that everything they’d experienced made them think deeply about how precious life is and appreciate what they have.
See all the incarnations of Derek and Hayley’s love story in photos:
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert first connected in 2014 while performing on a tour together with Derek’s sister, Julianne. A producer from *Dancing With the Stars* was impressed with Hayley and she successfully auditioned to join the show’s dance troupe in 2015, as reported by the *Hutchinson News*. That same year, she and Derek began dating.
They started attending events together, even appearing at the 2016 premiere of the Netflix documentary *I Am Not Your Guru*, which features Tony Robbins.
The duo get glammed up for a star-studded night out.
The dancers first appeared as a couple on the red carpet at a 2017 event celebrating choreography, hosted by the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California.
Hayley accompanied Derek to the Creative Arts Emmys, where he was up for an award for Outstanding Choreography thanks to his work on Dancing With the Stars.
The two attend the star-studded Casamigos Halloween Party.
I’m thrilled to share that I recently joined Derek at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, California, for their annual Christmas tree lighting! It was such a festive event, and a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season with the community.
The two attend the Hollywood premiere of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The couple steps out at HBO’s post-Emmys celebration.
Stars didn’t hold back their excitement while attending the premiere of Netflix’s *El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie*.
The two pose for pics at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Oscar viewing party.
Feeling festive, they dance on the special to ring in the Christmas season.
The two are all smiles at the premiere in Los Angeles.
Derek received an Outstanding Choreography Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmys for his work on Dancing with the Stars.
The two dance as they arrive at the 2022 Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars viewing party.
They look top tier on the red carpet.
Hayley flashes her engagement ring at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
The two get cozy at the launch of the Disney-Pixar film.
The couple honeymoon in Italy following their Aug. 26, 2023 wedding in California.
Hayley had emergency brain surgery after a blood vessel burst, and Derek was with her throughout it all. Over a week later, he shared on Instagram that the experience was terrifying, going from performing onstage to facing a sudden crisis. He described her recovery as miraculous.
Hayley and Derek were able to restart their *Symphony of Dance* tour in April 2024 after receiving medical approval. In October, Hayley made a heartwarming return to dancing, performing an emotional routine with her husband to Benson Boone’s song, “Beautiful Things.”
The couple shared exciting news: they’re expecting their first child! They announced the pregnancy on Instagram with a video of the baby’s sonogram, and Hayley wrote, “We’re amazed that something so small could bring so much joy to our lives.”
Read More
- You Need to Hear the Advice Rhea Raj Gave KATSEYE’s Lara
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Star Wars: Beyond Victory Is A Slight But Enjoyable Experiment In What Meta’s Storytelling Potential (Review)
- Mantis (2025) Movie Review
- Demi Moore Debuts Bangin’ Hair Transformation
- Stalker: Rusted Dawn may be the best Stalker 2 modpack yet that aims to make the game closer to GAMMA
- ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Writer, Star Revisit the Show’s ‘Seinfeld’ Reunion
- Dragon Ball: Every Super Saiyan Form Ranked (and #1 is the Most Iconic)
- What Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and More Shared About Their Salaries
- Metal Gear Solid Delta Patch Promised, But No Mention of PS5 Performance Improvements
2025-10-11 13:17