When it comes to parenthood, Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough are ready to freestyle.
Hayley, who is due to give birth any day now, shared some surprising advice she received: don’t take advice from anyone. In an interview with TopMob News, she explained that everyone will offer their opinions, but ultimately, you know what’s best for your baby.
Hayley and Derek are making one exception, however, after hearing a friend’s heartwarming pitch.
Hayley shared the best advice Derek received: ‘If you can, catch the baby!’ She explained that being the first to hold your newborn is incredibly special, and she was thrilled that Derek would be the one to bring their baby to her.
As Hayley told TopMob, their pal’s experience “made us all emotional.”
Oh my gosh, Hayley is just the sweetest! Before the baby comes, she’s making the most adorable memories with her pups! She’s partnered with Wellness Pet Company to create this amazing thing called the Wellness Supper Club – basically, she’s giving her fur babies extra love and spoiling them before the little one arrives, and it’s just SO Hayley! I’m seriously melting!
Hayley told us she has five rescue pets – three cats and two dogs – and considers them family. She was thrilled when Wellness approached her for a partnership because it felt genuine and aligned with her love for her ‘fur babies’.
She continued, saying she deeply loves her animals and always wants to provide them with the very best care and nutrition.
Hayley and Derek spoil their pets – cats and dogs alike – with fantastic outfits, particularly during the holidays.
Hayley and Derek spoil their pets – cats and dogs alike – with amazing outfits, particularly during the holidays.
“One of the traditions that we’ve always done, which has been kind of chaos, but we always do matching PJs with all of the pets,” Hayley shared. “We always try to get a family photo.”
For a closer look at the Hough family tree before it grows, keep reading.
The Hough family’s father comes from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and he met his future wife, Mariann Heaton, while they were both on the ballroom dance team at Ricks College, which is now Brigham Young University-Idaho.
Bruce and Mariann, both raised in Mormon families with parents who loved ballroom dancing, made their home in Salt Lake City. Bruce worked in communications and helped start Nutraceutical Corporation, a supplement company that, according to the Deseret News, became worth $300 million while he was there before being sold in 2017.
Bruce became involved in politics, leading the state Republican Party for two terms and then running for Congress in 2023.
Although he didn’t win the race, he told the Deseret News he was motivated by securing a better future for his family. He explained that with ten children and twenty-two grandchildren – and more on the way – he was particularly concerned about protecting America’s opportunities for future generations.
He jokingly said he didn’t expect his children’s dance lessons to lead to such success. What made him most proud, though, was hearing from others that his son, Derek Hough, and daughter, Julianne Hough, were known as some of the nicest people in the entertainment industry.
Besides Derek and Julianne, Bruce also has three daughters – Sharee Hough Selman, Marabeth Poole, and Katherine Hough – with his first wife, Mariann. After their divorce in the late 1990s, Bruce married Debra Francom Hough, who also has five children.
Mariann grew up in Idaho Falls with three brothers.
When she and Bruce were getting divorced, her children, Julianne and Derek – who were ten and thirteen at the time – moved to London to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
Mariann described their departure as “devastating” in a 2019 appearance on The Minds Gym podcast. However, she understood their need to pursue dance, adding that what really helped her cope was realizing she’d grown up feeling controlled. “I love my parents,” she said, “but that kind of controlling behavior was a pattern in our family.”
She explained that she’s now thankful for that experience, as it helped her appreciate the freedom of being a free agent. She also emphasized how important it was to instill that same sense of independence in her children, noting that they are all very comfortable traveling and pursuing new experiences.
Mariann, who currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee, is a painter. She often acknowledges the support and encouragement her husband, Aaron Nelson, provides for her art.
Sharee married husband Mark Selman when she was 19 and they share six kids.
The oldest of Bruce and Mariann’s children danced with Ballet West in Utah and now owns and operates a fitness company called Hough Werks, where she teaches yoga and dance.
Mariann described her energetic first child on The Minds Gym podcast. She said her daughter, Sharee, was incredibly creative and naturally driven from a very young age, with a mind that was always actively working.
Moreover, with 11 years between Sharee and her youngest sister, “Julianne thinks she has two moms.”
Mariann described her daughter, Marabeth, as a kind and independent person who enjoys having time to herself. Marabeth also organizes small, relaxing getaways for women in Nashville.
According to her sister Julianne, she moved from Utah to Nashville in September 2025 with dreams of becoming a country music star. Now, she’s pursuing her passions as a singer-songwriter, while also working as a realtor and holistic health coach, bringing a positive attitude to everything she does.
Marabeth married Michael Poole in 2002 and they live in Nashville with son Aidan.
Mariann described her daughter Katherine, a mom of three, as someone who is genuinely warm and likable, saying she “just makes you smile” and is very authentic, as she shared on the podcast The Minds Gym.
As a lifestyle expert, I often talk about cherishing connections, and I’m sharing a deeply personal story today. I lost my partner, Tony Schnur, to brain cancer in 2023. He wasn’t just my boyfriend; he was my best friend, my soulmate, everything. It’s incredibly painful, and just recently, on the second anniversary of his passing in February 2025, I shared how much I still miss him every single day. It’s a reminder that life is precious, and we should hold those we love close.
Katherine is incredibly resilient. Julianne shared on her podcast, Not Skinny But Not Fat, that she’s amazed by Katherine’s ability to juggle raising three daughters, managing a busy life, and planning everything with such grace.
On September 24, 2025, Katherine announced she had fallen in love again. She shared a collection of heartwarming photos on Instagram with a message expressing her joy: “After experiencing so much sadness, I didn’t think I’d find a love like this. Chris is everything I’ve ever hoped for – kind, generous, loving, patient, and a wonderful addition to my life and the lives of my daughters.”
Derek, born on May 17, 1985, became a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars in 2007. He’s won the show’s coveted Mirrorball Trophy six times – more than any other pro – and has also received four Emmy Awards for his dance choreography.
Following his final performance as a competitor on Dancing with the Stars in 2016, Derek joined the show as a permanent judge in 2020.
He first met dancer Hayley Erbert in 2015. After overcoming some difficult challenges, as he shared on the Couple Things With Shawn Johnson and Andrew East podcast, they married in August 2023.
Hayley and her partner faced a terrifying challenge early in their marriage when Hayley suffered a life-threatening brain hemorrhage and needed immediate surgery, just four months after tying the knot. They were overjoyed to announce in July 2025 that they were starting a family.
In April 2024, Derek shared a photo on Facebook of his dad, Bruce, dancing at Bruce and Hayley’s wedding. He wrote a heartfelt message saying he hopes to be as wonderful a father as his dad has been to their family, praising Bruce as smart, kind, and thoughtful.
Born on July 20, 1988, the youngest member of the Hough family rose to fame on Dancing with the Stars in 2007. Partnering with Derek, she went on to win the show’s first two seasons she competed in.
Julianne began pursuing an acting career in 2009, landing a notable role in the 2010 film Burlesque. Although her first film appearance was actually as an uncredited student in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone back in 2001, she quickly gained momentum and starred in the 2011 remake of Footloose. From 2014 to 2017, she returned to the world of dance as a judge, even winning an Emmy for her choreography. Since 2023, she’s been co-hosting DWTS alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.
Julianne and Brooks Laich got married in 2017, but their relationship ended in 2020, and their divorce was finalized in 2022.
In a 2024 interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, she shared that her divorce allowed her to rebuild her relationship with her parents, who were very supportive during a difficult time.
“It was exactly what I needed,” Julianne said. “It allowed me to reconnect with my parents as their child, and let them care for me. It was incredibly healing.”
Julianne explained on the podcast Not Skinny But Not Fat that while her and Derek’s success didn’t cause jealousy among their siblings, there was a feeling of regret that they hadn’t had the same opportunities.
You know, hearing Julianne talk about Sharee, Marabeth, and Katherine always gets to me. She says they’re genuinely happy and living wonderful lives, which is amazing! But she also pointed out that we were given a chance they didn’t get, and it’s tough to reconcile that – feeling grateful for our opportunity while acknowledging theirs wasn’t the same.
Julianne explained that while she shares a special connection with Derek, he and her sister were very close growing up. Because of that, she didn’t experience the same sisterly bond, and they now have families and children, something she doesn’t have herself.
Mariann shared on The Minds Gym that her five siblings have a very close relationship. She believes the biggest challenge is simply being apart, as they create a special energy when they’re together.
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2025-12-11 22:48