Origins & Early Life

Derek Bruce Hough (; born May 17, 1985) is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and television personality. From 2007 to 2016, Hough was a professional dancer on the ABC dance competition series Dancing with the Stars, winning the show a record-breaking six times with his celebrity partners. For his work, Hough received 14 nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography, winning the award 4 times. Hough later became a judge on the series beginning with its 29th season.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Hough has also appeared as an actor on stage, appearing at the West End premiere of Footloose: The Musical at the Novello Theatre and as well as the 2015 New York Spring Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. In film and television, he has starred in the film Make Your Move and had a recurring role in the ABC musical-drama Nashville. In 2016, he appeared as Corny Collins in NBC's live musical TV-production of Hairspray Live! Hough also shared the screen with his sister Julianne and childhood friend Mark Ballas as uncredited background actors in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone. From 2017 to 2020, Hough served as a judge...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alex Honnold — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Pioneering free solo climber, famous for conquering El Capitan.
• Alexander Ovechkin — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Record-setting Russian left winger and captain for the Washington Capitals.
• Allyson Felix — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Legendary American track and field athlete, specializing in the 200m and 400m.
• Alan Kay — Shared historical date (05-17 · Born) (1940): Pioneer of GUI, Object-Oriented Programming, and modern computing paradigms.
• Alfonso XIII — Shared historical date (05-17 · Born) (1886): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Anita Włodarczyk — Historical peer (Born in 1985) (1985): Polish hammer thrower, world record holder, and Olympic champion.
• Anne Baxter — Historical peer (Died in 1985) (1985): Acclaimed American actress known for her work in Hollywood and on Broadway.
• Al Oerter — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Four-time Olympic champion in the discus throw, pioneering athletic consistency.
• Albert Ellis — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• 1985 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1985
• May 17 (05-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 17