Dancing With the Stars icon Derek Hough dishes on his upcoming tour ahead of KC stop

Courtesy UTA

How insanely busy is Dancing With the Stars icon Derek Hough these days? For half a split-second during our interview, he didn’t exactly know what city he was in or what day of the week it was. (It happens, Derek. We can empathize.)

Mere weeks ago, the six-time DWTS Mirrorball champion unveiled his newest live dance show, which is the first national tour for the performing dynamo in four years. 

The fast-paced extravaganza—Derek Hough Symphony of Dance—promises electrifying music, awe-inspiring performances, and nonstop music courtesy of a live band. The show—in all its glory and splendor—arrives at Kansas City Music Hall on Saturday, October 15. Hough promises he and his crew are pulling out all the stops—everything from elegant ballroom to sexy Latin moves and beyond.  

We chatted up the Emmy award-winning choreographer during a slew of East Coast performances. Seems he’s particularly looking forward to coming to Kansas City as that’s where his new wife Haley hails from.

The Pitch: You’ve only been on tour for a couple of weeks, but what I want to know is—how long did a show of this magnitude take to put together?

Derek Hough: It took a while just collecting the music. I re-recorded the music from scratch. There’s a live band. We have string players, bass, and percussion. I’ve been building the soundtrack for the past several months. And then rehearsing and choreographing has taken about three and a half weeks, which isn’t very long considering what we’ve done—being able to create all the choreography, the detail, the writing—just everything involved. 

You know, it takes Broadway shows months to put on a show, and we did it in three weeks. So, it’s extraordinary what we’ve done. I’ve done a lot of shows, and I’ve created a lot, but this one is, in my opinion, the one I’m most proud of. And it’s the most ambitious one I’ve ever done—ever. So, I’m very excited to share it with people.

How grueling were rehearsals?

Extraordinarily grueling. Because when you do a show, when you do that routine, you want it to be the best it can possibly be. And to hone it in, you have to do it over and over and over again, right? Trial and error: Does this work? Does this not work? So, you’re constantly trying things and experimenting. 

And that experimentation actually takes a lot of energy, not just mentally and emotionally but physically because you’re physically trying things. Once you settle on something, then you can start to find a rhythm, start to breathe, you can start to just find the flow. Again, it’s tough work that has definitely paid off. This is a show that I’m probably most proud of—of all the shows I’ve done.

If you weren’t a professional dancer, what would you be doing?

That’s a good question. For me, I’m gonna be working with people in some way or creating something. It’s about making something from nothing. 

For me, my passion really is just creating things. I love renovating houses, and I love the outdoors. I love adventure. I don’t know, I think it’d be like an archaeologist architect if there was such a thing. 

You make it look so effortless, but was there a particular style of dance that took you a while to master—or that you’re still trying to master?

Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever master anything. And really, truly, I think I’ll always strive to keep learning and to continue to grow. The style that I’m most versed in is ballroom and Latin dancing. But with this show, actually, my cast is mind-blowingly good. And I often catch myself being like, “What am I doing dancing next to these guys? They are unbelievable.” But they’re so inspiring, and it’s just incredible. 

I’m always trying new things, trying new tricks, trying new moves—and trying to keep my body strong and sharp and fast. But my favorite style? I love the paso doble and the tangos and things like that. 

You’ve won Dancing With the Stars a whopping six times. Where does one keep six Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophies exactly?

Actually, they’re gonna be on the road with me! I had a few fans say, “Hey, we’d love to see the trophies.” And I was like, “Okay.” So I have a road case, and I’m bringing them. They’ll all be on display in the lobby when people walk in and come to the show—you know, just to have a glimpse and check it out. Otherwise, they’re just going to be in my garage in the cupboard where they usually are collecting dust. I figured, let’s get these bad boys out. They’re really an important part of my history and big landmark moments. And it’s kind of cool to share ‘em.

Courtesy UTA

Name a celebrity you would absolutely kill to dance with or choreograph.

Well, recently, I just did a project—and I’ve already worked with her on several different projects—but I think Jennifer Lopez. We can get out there and rock a salsa.

Speaking of, when was the last time you were completely starstruck?

Do you know the movie Free Solo? Where he climbed El Capitan with no ropes? The guy who directed it—Jimmy Chen. I saw him, and I was a huge fan because he’s a huge adventurer and an amazing cinematographer. I just love all his adventure work. His photography, his cinematography, his storytelling—he’s extraordinary.

I’ve recently directed several things, and again, I love the outdoors. So, both of those things combined are pretty amazing. And I’m actually working on a project right now with National Geographic combining adventure and dance. I’m gonna be able to bring some of my passions together. And (Chen’s) work is just beautiful. Big fan.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I do. Popcorn, Red Vines, peanut M&Ms. [laughs]

So, all the concessions?

Yeah, when I go to a movie, it’s all nachos, extra jalapeños. All the things.

What piece of choreography lives rent-free in your head? Like, what’s your fave dance sequence ever in the history of dance sequences?

It’s something a bit more mainstream, but there’s a music video by Jungle that’s on TikTok, and that choreography—the way those dancers move is so, so satisfying.

Courtesy UTA

Are there any old-school dances that you can literally do from memory because of, like, muscle memory? You know, like the “Thriller” dance? 

Actually, “Moses Supposes” from Singing in the Rain. With Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor—that duet they do with the chairs? Jumping up and down with the chairs, the whole thing. I learned that piece—in its entirety—about five years ago. And I actually did it on my last tour, and it was my absolute favorite. It’s a timeless classic that I absolutely love, and know every step.

What do you know about Kansas City? Are you going to eat your way through the city? Please say yes.

Well, my beloved new wife Haley is from there. And so, I spent my last Christmas there with her family. And now I have big ties to Kansas. [laughs]  But yeah, I’m excited to go there to perform because this is, like, her hometown. It’s gonna be our first time performing there as a married couple. She’ll be dancing with me in the show and everything—and she’s an incredible dancer. So, it’s really special.

Interview gently edited for content and clarity.