Derek Hough is ready to put his dancing shoes back on after pressing pause following his wife Hayley Erbert’s health scare last year.
“About two months ago, I honestly didn’t know when dancing would be in my world again,” Hough, 38, confessed during the Monday, February 26, episode of Good Morning America.
Hough confirmed that he is going back on tour in April after taking three months off to help his wife, 29, recover from her back-to-back surgeries in December 2023.
After being diagnosed with a cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel, Erbert underwent an emergency craniectomy before the holidays. She had a second procedure to replace a portion of her skull that was removed during the first surgery that same month.
“It was just [going] a million miles an hour and then it came to a screeching halt very, very quickly. It was jolting to say the least,” Hough said on Monday of the couple’s life as tourmates before Erbert’s scare. “It’s something you never imagine.”
The Dancing With the Stars judge revealed that while it’s been “a time of just uncertainty and fear,” he and Erbert have also found the experience to be “a time of absolute gratitude and moments of grace.”
Hough, who married Erbert in August 2023, gushed over his partner and her resilience the past few months.
“During that time, [I] was realizing how important she is — not just as the love of my life — just everyday things,” he shared. “It was a moment [for me] to step up. I thought she was strong, and I had no idea how strong she was.”
When it comes to the next leg of his Symphony of Dance Tour, which begins in April, Hough confirmed fans won’t see Erbert back on stage. However, her presence will be felt. (Erbert was a fixture on the first leg of the tour, dancing alongside her husband from September to December 2023.)
“Hayley’s DNA is all over this show, it’s all over this tour. She’s there with me every step of the way,” he said while getting choked up.
Hough insisted that attendees will “have a good time” watching the performances, but he hopes fans will also take away a positive message. “On a personal level [the show helps me] to remember that things do get better,” he added.
Hough assured his and Erbert’s fans that as she continues to heal the couple won’t stop dancing through life together. “We’ll dance together in the park. Or in the kitchen. Wherever we are. In the grocery store,” he gushed. “You’ll see a little couple dancing in the aisle … it’ll be us.”
Symphony of Dance Tour returns on Tuesday, April 16, in Tampa, Florida. Check out Hough’s official website for more details.
