SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Utah native Derek Hough has made waves in the world of dance, captivating audiences and earning four Emmys for Outstanding Choreography. He’s also judged on hit TV dance shows and is the only six-time champion from Dancing with the Stars.
Before becoming a big name in the dance community, Derek spent his early days training at a studio in Orem. ABC4.com visited that dance studio and met with Derek to learn more about his story of success.
The inspiration behind his latest Emmy-winning piece
Derek Hough currently holds the title for most Emmy nominations with 13 to his name. Derek’s latest win was in 2023 for his work to the song “Higher” by Michael Bublé, performed on “ Dancing with the Stars .”
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Michael Bublé,” Derek said. “I think that especially in the ballroom and Latin community — and I told him this when I first met him — ‘Thank you. You’ve given us so much music to work with,’ because usually a lot of times we’re listening to the classics because there’s no contemporary music that has that feel. But when he came on the scene, he gave us this modern, contemporary, music that we dance to. We love foxtrots and quicksteps and tangos and cha-chas. So, we just hit it off.”…