Derek Hough’s wife is professional dancer Hayley Erbert Hough. The couple met professionally in 2014, began dating in 2015, became engaged in 2022 and married on August 26, 2023, in Monterey County, California.
Their family expanded in December 2025 when they welcomed their daughter, Everley Capri Hough. Hayley also continues to speak publicly about her recovery after emergency brain surgery in December 2023; in June 2026, she told E! News that she was feeling “really strong” and “really healthy.”
Introduction
When people search for “Derek Hough wife,” they are looking for professional dancer Hayley Erbert Hough, the longtime partner and wife of Dancing With the Stars judge and choreographer Derek Hough. Their relationship began through dance, developed over several years and eventually led to marriage and parenthood.
The couple first crossed paths in 2014 when Hayley joined Derek Hough and his sister Julianne Hough for their Move Live on Tour production. They later began a romantic relationship, announced their engagement in 2022 and married on August 26, 2023, in Monterey County, California.
Their marriage has also been shaped by a major health crisis. In December 2023, only a few months after their wedding, Hayley suffered a life-threatening cranial hematoma caused by a burst blood vessel and underwent emergency brain surgery while the couple was on tour. Derek publicly asked for prayers and updates about her condition at the time.
By 2026, their story had entered another chapter. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Everley Capri, in December 2025. In June 2026, Hayley provided a positive health update while attending the Tribeca Film Festival premiere connected to their Symphony of Dance project.
As of September 2026, Derek is continuing his role as a judge on Dancing With the Stars, which has begun its 35th season, while Hayley remains involved in dance and family life.
Who Is Derek Hough’s Wife?
Hayley Erbert Hough is a professional dancer who has worked extensively in television and live dance productions.
She was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas, and began dancing at a young age. Hayley later competed on So You Think You Can Dance and became part of the professional dance world surrounding Dancing With the Stars.
Her professional career eventually brought her into Derek Hough’s orbit. She joined Derek and Julianne Hough’s Move Live on Tour in 2014, marking the beginning of a relationship that would eventually become both personal and professional.
Today, she is known publicly as Hayley Erbert Hough.
When Did Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Meet?
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert first met professionally in 2014.
Hayley was selected to join Derek and Julianne Hough’s touring production. Their relationship developed from that professional connection.
The couple subsequently began dating in 2015. Their relationship became publicly known over time, with the pair eventually appearing together regularly at events and sharing aspects of their life with fans.
Their relationship was therefore not an overnight celebrity romance. It developed over years of working in the same dance world before they became engaged and married.
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s Engagement
After years together, Derek proposed to Hayley in 2022.
The couple announced their engagement in June 2022, sharing the news publicly on social media. Their engagement came after roughly seven years of dating.
The proposal took place at their home, a location Derek later described as meaningful because it was where their relationship had grown. During a 2023 interview about their wedding plans, the couple discussed their desire for the celebration to feel personal rather than simply like another major entertainment event.
When Did Derek Hough Get Married?
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert married on August 26, 2023, in Monterey County, California.
The ceremony took place in a redwood setting and was attended by 106 guests, according to Good Morning America. The wedding included family, friends and several people from the couple’s dance and entertainment circles.
Hayley wore a custom Marchesa wedding gown, while Derek wore a Tom Ford suit for the ceremony. The couple later honeymooned in Italy, sharing footage from their first trip as a married couple.
Their wedding was particularly significant because both had already spent years performing together professionally. Instead of simply being a celebrity wedding, it marked the next stage of a relationship that had begun through dance.
Derek Hough Wife and Her Dance Career
Hayley is not known only because she married Derek Hough. She has an established dance career of her own.
She competed on So You Think You Can Dance and later became a troupe dancer on Dancing With the Stars. She also performed alongside Derek in his live productions.
Their shared professional background has allowed the couple to combine dance and personal life in ways that few celebrity couples can.
After Hayley’s serious health crisis in 2023, her return to performing became another important part of her public story. She eventually received medical clearance to return to the stage and resumed touring with Derek in 2024.
Hayley Erbert’s 2023 Brain Surgery
One of the most important events in the couple’s marriage happened just four months after their wedding.
In December 2023, Hayley became disoriented after a performance during the couple’s Symphony of Dance tour in Washington, D.C. Derek announced that she had suffered a hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniectomy. At the time, he said she was in stable condition and thanked first responders and medical professionals.
A craniectomy is a major emergency procedure used to relieve pressure on the brain. Hayley’s recovery subsequently included additional treatment, including a cranioplasty, according to later reporting.
The health emergency temporarily changed the couple’s professional plans. Derek remained focused on Hayley’s recovery, and portions of their tour were postponed.
Hayley Erbert’s Return to Dance
Hayley’s recovery eventually allowed her to return to the activity that had defined much of her life: dance.
In April 2024, she returned to the Symphony of Dance tour after receiving medical clearance. Derek and Hayley approached the return cautiously, consulting with medical professionals before she resumed performing.
Later in 2024, Hayley also appeared with Derek on Dancing With the Stars, creating another emotional public milestone in her recovery.
The return was important not simply because she was back onstage, but because dance had been central to her professional identity before her health crisis.
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Welcome Daughter Everley
The couple entered parenthood in late 2025.
Derek and Hayley announced in July 2025 that they were expecting their first child together.
Their daughter, Everley Capri Hough, was born on December 29, 2025.
The couple announced the birth through a joint social-media post in January 2026, describing the arrival as a life-changing moment. ABC News reported that Everley’s birth came more than two years after Hayley’s serious health emergency.
The birth also followed the couple’s earlier disclosure of a pregnancy loss, adding important context to why the arrival of their daughter was particularly meaningful to them.
What Is Hayley Erbert’s Latest Health Update?
Hayley’s most significant recent public health update came in June 2026, more than two years after her emergency brain surgery.
While attending the Tribeca Film Festival premiere connected with the couple’s Symphony of Dance documentary, Hayley spoke with E! News about her health and life as a new mother.
She said she was doing well and described herself as feeling strong and healthy.
ABC also featured Derek and Hayley discussing life after her brain bleed in June 2026. ABC’s Nightline listed the couple’s conversation about her recovery among its June 15 programming.
This is an important distinction when discussing Hayley’s health: her latest publicly reported update is positive, but it should not be interpreted as an independent medical evaluation. The information comes from Hayley’s own public comments and media interviews.
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert in 2026
In 2026, the couple are balancing family life with their professional careers.
Derek remains a judge on Dancing With the Stars. The show’s 35th season premiered on September 15 and 16, 2026, with Derek returning to the judging panel alongside Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
Meanwhile, Hayley has continued to participate in dance-related projects and public appearances.
The couple also discussed their recovery, relationship and transition into parenthood during interviews in 2026. In a July interview with Parade, they spoke about their experience together and how their difficult period had changed the way they viewed their relationship and dancing.
Key Details About Derek Hough’s Wife
- Derek Hough’s wife: Hayley Erbert Hough
- Profession: Professional dancer
- Known for: So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars and live dance productions
- Met Derek: 2014
- Started dating: 2015
- Engaged: June 2022
- Married: August 26, 2023
- Wedding location: Monterey County, California
- Daughter: Everley Capri Hough
- Everley’s birth: December 29, 2025
- Major health event: Emergency brain surgery in December 2023
- Latest major public health update: June 2026
- Derek’s current TV role: Judge on Dancing With the Stars Season 35
What Derek Hough Has Said About His Wife
Derek has repeatedly spoken publicly about his relationship with Hayley, particularly after her 2023 health emergency.
In his initial announcement about her emergency surgery, he thanked medical personnel and asked fans for prayers and positivity.
The couple later discussed how the experience affected their relationship. Their interviews have emphasized recovery, their shared work in dance and their growing family.
In 2026, their public appearances have increasingly included their transition into parenthood. Derek has spoken about the everyday experience of raising their daughter, while Hayley has shared aspects of motherhood and her continuing recovery.
Why Derek Hough’s Wife Story Matters
For fans searching for Derek Hough wife, the key point is that Hayley Erbert Hough has her own professional identity as a dancer, while also being an important part of Derek’s personal and professional life.
Their story also illustrates how their careers and personal lives have remained closely connected. They met through a dance production, performed together, married after years as a couple, faced a major medical emergency together and later became parents.
The 2026 health updates are particularly significant because they provide a more current picture than the emergency headlines from 2023. Hayley’s own comments in June 2026 indicated that she felt strong and healthy, while the couple continued to work and raise their daughter.
What Happens Next?
Derek’s immediate professional schedule includes continuing as a judge on Dancing With the Stars Season 35. ABC confirmed his return to the judging panel for the 2026 season, which began with a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16.
For Hayley, there is no publicly announced medical procedure or major new treatment reported in the latest sources reviewed for this article. Her June 2026 comments indicated that she was feeling strong and healthy.
The couple’s public focus is also increasingly centered on their daughter Everley and their continuing dance work.
Any future health developments should be evaluated based on new statements from Hayley, Derek, their representatives or reliable reporting rather than assumptions based on her previous medical history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Derek Hough’s wife?
Derek Hough’s wife is professional dancer Hayley Erbert Hough. They met in 2014 through Derek and Julianne Hough’s Move Live on Tour and later began dating.
When did Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert get married?
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert married on August 26, 2023, in Monterey County, California. The wedding was attended by 106 guests.
Does Derek Hough have children?
Yes. Derek and Hayley have one child, a daughter named Everley Capri Hough, who was born on December 29, 2025.
What happened to Derek Hough’s wife Hayley Erbert?
In December 2023, Hayley suffered a cranial hematoma caused by a burst blood vessel while the couple was on their Symphony of Dance tour. She required emergency brain surgery and subsequently underwent a lengthy recovery.
Is Hayley Erbert still dancing?
Yes. After her 2023 health emergency, Hayley was medically cleared to return to performing and resumed the Symphony of Dance tour in April 2024.
How is Hayley Erbert doing in 2026?
In a June 2026 interview with E! News, Hayley said she was doing well and described herself as feeling “really strong” and “really healthy.” This is a public statement from Hayley rather than an independent medical assessment.
Is Derek Hough still on Dancing With the Stars?
Yes. Derek Hough returned as a judge for Dancing With the Stars Season 35 in 2026. ABC confirmed his place on the judging panel alongside Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
How did Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert meet?
They met in 2014 when Hayley joined Derek and Julianne Hough’s Move Live on Tour. Their professional relationship eventually developed into a romantic relationship, and they later married.
