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Who is Derek Hough’s wife Hayley Erbert? The Dancing with the Stars judge opened up about his spouse’s emergency brain surgery, and described her as ‘a miracle’

Meet Derek Hough’s wife Hayley Erbert, who survived emergency brain surgery in late 2023, and whose dance credits include working with Pitbull, Julianne Hough and Paula Abdul. Photo: @derekhough/Instagram
Meet Derek Hough’s wife Hayley Erbert, who survived emergency brain surgery in late 2023, and whose dance credits include working with Pitbull, Julianne Hough and Paula Abdul. Photo: @derekhough/Instagram

Hough met Erbert – whose previous dance credits included working with Pitbull and Paula Abdul – when she joined his 2014 Move Live tour with his sister Julianne Hough

Derek Hough has opened up about the challenging journey he and his wife, Hayley Erbert, faced following her emergency craniectomy (brain surgery to remove a piece of the skull) in December 2023. In an exclusive chat with People in 10 in September, the Dancing with the Stars judge shared how they managed to stay grounded during such a stressful time thanks to a simple yet powerful mantra: staying in the moment.
Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough at the 2024 Emmys in September. Photo: @derekhough/Instagram
Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough at the 2024 Emmys in September. Photo: @derekhough/Instagram

Hough, 39, shared that staying present was essential for him and Erbert, 30, during her recovery from a cranial hematoma. “It’s really hard,” he said, describing the helplessness he felt. Hough added that the couple focused on “What can I do right now?” rather than worrying about the future.

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Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert at a wedding in July 2023. Photo: @hayley.erbert/Instagram
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert at a wedding in July 2023. Photo: @hayley.erbert/Instagram

They’re now celebrating life after her recovery and looking ahead to the future. During a chat with E! News in September, Hough reflected on his wife’s strength, “She’s a miracle. She really is, and I don’t say that lightly.”

From how they met to her life after surgery, here’s everything to know about Hayley Erbert.

Hayley Erbert is a professional dancer

 
Erbert is no stranger to the dance floor. Before joining the Dancing with the Stars troupe in 2015, she made the top six on So You Think You Can Dance, and worked with stars like Paula Abdul and Pitbull.

She also toured with Hough and his sister Julianne, 36, in 2014, and wowed fans during the 2020 quarantine with their Disney Family Singalong performance of “Be Our Guest”.

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert met in 2014

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert with their dogs in August 2021. Photo: @hayley.erbert/Instagram
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert with their dogs in August 2021. Photo: @hayley.erbert/Instagram

Hough and Erbert met in 2014 when she joined his Move Live tour with his sister Julianne. Per Just Jared, they began dating a year later but kept their relationship off Instagram until 2017. In July 2022, Derek proposed in a romantic setting, surrounded by candles and rose petals.