Dancing

With hundreds of episodes of Dancing With the Stars between them, siblings Derek and Julianne Hough quick-stepped their way into America’s hearts. We caught up with the Emmy-winning choreographers — Derek is now a judge and Julianne a cohost on the show — to chat about their favorite memories and what keeps them coming back to the ballroom.

What does 20 years of Dancing With the Stars mean to you?

Julianne Hough: I don’t know where to begin. The show has been in the homes of families year after year. There’s something so beautiful about the fact that people come on [the dance floor] being vulnerable and grow right in front of our eyes. We see it through rhinestones and fringe, but it’s really this transformational journey.

Derek Hough : It’s incredible to be a part of something that has had this excitement around it for 20 years. Every single thing I’ve experienced on this show has been life-changing. I’ve learned so many different lessons. I’ve grown up on this show.

Yeah, you definitely have!

Derek: I have facial hair now! When I started it [in 2007], I didn’t. I’m a full little man now, kind of. [Laughs]

Who’s gone through that growth process with you on the show that really stands out in your memory?

Julianne: [Olympic speed skater] Apolo Ohno, my first partner, had these big trunk legs, and to watch him figure out how to move his body in a new way and the dedication that he put into it…he transformed in front of our eyes. [Para-snowboarder] Amy Purdy [in Season 18] found this feminine side to her that she said she hadn’t felt since she lost her legs.

Derek: Amy was extraordinary. Dancing with [conservationist] Bindi Irwin [on Season 21] was really special.

Now Bindi’s younger brother Robert is coming on the show for Season 34.

Derek: I’m going to be so hard on Robert! I’m just kidding. [Laughs] It is really amazing to see the full-circle moment — dancing with Bindi 10 years ago, and here Robert is.

Did you two ever think you’d be working together like this?

Derek: No. Our parents actually said, “Hey, you should dance with your sister.” And I’m like, “No, no, you’re defeating the whole purpose of why I started to dance!” I wanted to dance with girls.

Julianne: I am a girl.

Derek: Well, you know what I’m saying. But it’s actually amazing to see our careers have run on these beautiful parallel lines.

Julianne: That pathway of being a dancer and then a judge — it’s kind of crazy.

Derek: Let’s be honest, Julianne was first on Dancing With the Stars.

Julianne: Did you just give me credit?

Derek: I did! [Aside] But she only won twice.

Is there a childhood dynamic that still kicks in when you’re together?

Julianne: Clearly, there’s sibling rivalry. We’re just really playful with each other.

Derek: We’re just goofs.

Julianne: What I love is that every week we’re in different areas on set, but we get our little moments where we get to hang out in the commercial breaks. It’s cool.

Do you have a dream celebrity cast member?

Julianne: Keke Palmer would be so fun to have on, because her personality is so big and she’s so authentic. Kelly Ripa would be amazing. Chris Hemsworth should come back since he did the Australian version and placed sixth. But there’s nothing like the American version.

Derek, you’ve won the Mirrorball trophy six times! How did you celebrate?

Derek: The initial moment was just unbelievable. Weirdly enough, [as a pro] the celebration was short-lived. The next day is like, “All right, got to think about the next season.” But now, I get to look back at those moments with Bindi or Nicole Scherzinger or Jennifer Grey and celebrate.

What’s your favorite role on the show — dancer, judge, or host?

Julianne: They all come with something different. As a dancer, you’re competing, and as a judge, you want to give your expertise to help [the contestants] grow. As a host, my job is to [make sure] everyone else feels like they have the space to shine and connect with the audience.

Derek: The hardest part about being a judge is that you’ve got 15 seconds to say something, whereas as a dancer, you have several hours to work and nitpick at things. But I love being in that room. When you walk into the ballroom, it is really sacred ground. The stories that have unfolded, the triumphs, the failures, the heartbreaks. There’s so much that has happened in that room, and every time I walk in there, every season, it’s a brand-new feeling.

—Reporting by Kate Hahn

Dancing With the Stars, Season 34 Premiere, Tuesday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC

For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands now.