Derek Hough

Who are Derek Hough parents?

Bruce Hough (father)

photo facebook.com/BruceRHough

Date of birth: April 6, 1954

Derek is a strong-willed persistent person, and those qualities brought him to success. He inherited them from his father Bruce Robert Hough, a journalist, entrepreneur, and politician.

Bruce was raised in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. His parents are Robert (he served as a radio DJ) and Colleen Hough. They lived as a happy couple for many years, until Robert’s death in 2016. After graduation from a high school, Bruce studied journalism at Brigham Young University. Then he majored in business at Westminster UT.

Derek’s father made a great career. He co-founded the company “Gartner Hough Advertising”, and then served as a president at Nutraceutical Corporation. He was also selected as the chairman of the Utah Republican Party twice.

He met the mother of his kids Marriann at a ballroom dance team, where both participated. They had been married for many years, but something went wrong, and they separated.

Now Bruce is a husband of Debra Hough. He is still closely connected with his son Derek and other kids. 

Marriann Hough (mother)

photo facebook.com/marriann.hough

Date of birth: February 23, 1957

Derek has a close bond with his mom Marriann, and he inherited his love for art from her. It was she, who introduced her son to performing arts and never got tired to take him to dance lessons. 

Marriann was born and raised in the family of Don and Beth Heaton in Bonneville County, Idaho. After graduation from a high school, she entered Brigham Young University. She participated in a ballroom team there, and thus crossed her ways with a husband and father of her kids Bruce Hough. They lived together for many years, but separated, when Derek was 12. Their divorce was the most painful moment in their son’s life. Derek expressed this pain through his dance “Unsteady”.

After Marriann and Bruce split, Derek stayed with his father. But his mother remained an inseparable part of his life. 

Currently, Marriann works as an artist. She is in relationships with Aaron Nelson.

Derek Hough siblings

Sharee Hough-Selman (older sister)

photo instagram.com/shareehoughselman

Date of birth: July 22, 1977

Derek has been surrounded by strong beautiful women (his mother and sisters) during his whole life. His oldest sister Sharee is a special person for him and his inspiration. She was the first of Hough kids to attend ballroom dance lessons. Derek watched her and decided to try it himself, too. Now he spends a lot of time in his sister’s house and plays with his 6 nephews and nieces. Yes, Sharee is a mother of 6 children, and she is a fitness and yoga coach, as well. On September 8, 2018, she went down the aisles with the love of her life Mark Selman.

Derek and Sharee have cordial brother-sister relationships. 

Marabeth Poole (older sister)

photo instagram.com/marabethpoole

Date of birth: 1980

It seems that each member of Derek’s family was blessed with some superpower. Marabeth, his second oldest sister, is not exclusion. She is not just a beautiful blonde, like her mom and siblings, but also a business lady (she is a successful realtor), a mother of Aidan Poole and a wife of Michael Poole. Her husband, to whom she has been married since 2002, is a vice president of the local company, which produces skincare products. Marabeth lives with her family in Nashville. 

Katherine Hough (older sister)

photo instagram.com/katherineh82

Date of birth: June 9, 1982 

Katherine is not just Derek’s friend, but also his older sister. Like other Hough girls, she is a great mother. Katherine has three daughters. She earns her living as an esthetician. She is married to a photographer T.J. Drechsel. 

Julianne Hough (younger sister)

photo instagram.com/juleshough

Date of birth: July 20, 1988

The youngest member of the Hough family, Julianne doesn’t need an introduction. The gifted dancer, celebrity and Dancing with the Stars multiple winner, she can compete with her older brother Derek, who of them is more famous.

But the brother and the sister are not rivals, they are friends. Derek and Jules love and support each other.

Julianne attended the same with Derek’s Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. After that, she started the career of a professional dancer and gained wide popularity as the participant of Dancing With The Stars show.

Currently, she joins her career of a dancer with singing and acting. In 2011 she played the title role in the film “Footloose”. In 2019 she has released a hit “Transform”. 

Since 2013 Julianne has been dating a hockey star, Brooks Laich.

Bio

Derek Hough is an American dancer, choreographer, actor and television personality born on May 17, 1985. After training in London, he became a record six-time professional champion on “Dancing with the Stars” and later joined the show’s judging panel. His choreography has earned multiple Primetime Emmy Awards.

Hough has also appeared on stage, toured with his sister Julianne Hough and served as a judge on “World of Dance.” He married fellow dancer Hayley Erbert on August 26, 2023. After Erbert recovered from emergency cranial surgery later that year, the couple returned to performing together. Their daughter Everley Capri Hough was born on December 29, 2025.