Hayley Erbert is an American dancer known for her work on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and live dance productions. She has worked in competition, television, touring, and stage performance. She also became widely known through her relationship with fellow dancer Derek Hough and through the serious medical emergency she experienced in 2023.
For readers searching for Hayley Erbert, her career provides the clearest starting point. She began dancing as a child, competed on So You Think You Can Dance as a teenager, joined the Dancing with the Stars troupe, and later performed alongside Hough. Her story also includes marriage, recovery, a return to television, and motherhood.
Early Life and Dance Training
Hayley Erbert grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and began dancing at age three. She trained in several styles, with contemporary dance becoming an important part of her development. Competition helped her build the technical and performance skills that later translated to television and touring.
As a teenager, Erbert competed on the 10th season of So You Think You Can Dance and reached the Top 3 female contestants. The appearance expanded her profile and connected her with the professional dance world.
After the show, she expanded her work beyond competition television, performing with major entertainers and taking part in live productions.
Her Career on Dancing with the Stars
For many viewers, Hayley Erbert is closely associated with Dancing with the Stars. She joined the show’s troupe after working with Derek and Julianne Hough on their Move Live on Tour productions. She was a troupe member rather than an official celebrity-partner professional dancer.
Her television work included performances during DWTS seasons and special events. Her contemporary background brought a different performance quality to a program built around ballroom and Latin dance.
Erbert also continued working outside television. Live projects expanded her theatrical experience.
Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough
Erbert met Derek Hough through the Move Live on Tour environment in 2014. Their professional connection developed into a relationship, and they began dating in 2015. Dance remained central to their story.
Hough proposed in 2022, and the couple married in California on August 26, 2023. They had already spent years performing and traveling together and continued collaborating professionally after marriage.
| Milestone | Year | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| So You Think You Can Dance | 2013 | Reached the Top 3 female contestants |
| Met Derek Hough through touring | 2014 | Worked in the Move Live on Tour environment |
| Began dating | 2015 | Their professional relationship became romantic |
| Engaged | 2022 | Hough proposed |
| Married | 2023 | They married in California |
| Major health emergency | 2023 | Erbert underwent emergency brain surgery |
| Returned to DWTS | 2024 | Appeared on the show with Hough |
| Daughter born | 2025 | The couple welcomed Everley Capri Hough |
The 2023 Health Emergency and Recovery
One of the most significant chapters in Erbert’s public life came in December 2023. After a Symphony of Dance performance in the Washington, D.C., area, she became disoriented and was taken to a hospital. She was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma caused by a burst blood vessel and required emergency surgery.
ABC News reported that Erbert underwent an emergency craniectomy and later another procedure as part of her treatment. Hough subsequently described how difficult the experience was and how the couple tried to focus on what they could do in the present rather than become overwhelmed by uncertainty.
Erbert later shared aspects of her recovery publicly, including the scar from her surgery. Her updates offered a personal look at recovery after a major neurological emergency.
💡 Pro Tip:
For celebrity health stories, distinguish confirmed statements from speculation. The most useful information here comes from Erbert’s public updates and direct interviews with Hough, rather than unverified social-media claims.
Return to the Dance Floor
Erbert returned to Dancing with the Stars in October 2024 for Dedication Night, when she and Hough performed together. The appearance marked a notable public return after her medical crisis.
The return also highlighted that dance was central to her career, not simply her connection to Hough. Erbert had already built her résumé through competition, television, touring, and live performance before their marriage.
Her post-surgery journey has remained connected to both dance and family life. Recovery has been an ongoing part of the story rather than a single moment.
Family Life and Motherhood
In 2025, Erbert and Hough welcomed their first child, a daughter named Everley Capri Hough. The birth marked a new chapter for a couple whose lives had already included touring, television, marriage, and Erbert’s recovery.
Recent coverage has shown the family balancing parenthood with demanding professional schedules. Hough continues his work in entertainment, while Erbert remains connected to dance and their shared creative life.
For Hayley Erbert, motherhood adds another dimension to a career that began with competitive dance and developed through television and live performance.
📌 Key Takeaway
Hayley Erbert’s public career is built on dance, television, touring, and performance, but her story also includes a major health crisis, a documented recovery, and a new chapter as a mother. Looking at those milestones together gives readers a fuller picture than focusing on one headline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hayley Erbert?
Hayley Erbert is an American professional dancer known for competing on So You Think You Can Dance, performing with Dancing with the Stars, and appearing in live dance productions. She has also gained public attention through her marriage to Derek Hough and her recovery following a serious medical emergency in 2023.
How did Hayley Erbert meet Derek Hough?
Erbert met Hough through the Move Live on Tour production involving Derek and his sister, Julianne Hough. Their professional connection began in 2014, and they started dating in 2015. Their shared work in dance remained an important part of their relationship and public careers.
What happened to Hayley Erbert in 2023?
In December 2023, Erbert experienced a cranial hematoma caused by a burst blood vessel after a dance performance in the Washington, D.C., area. She required emergency brain surgery and later underwent an additional procedure during her recovery. She subsequently returned to public dance performances.
Is Hayley Erbert married?
Yes. Erbert married Derek Hough on August 26, 2023, in California. The couple had been together for several years before their wedding and had also worked together professionally through dance tours and television appearances.
Does Hayley Erbert have children?
Yes. Erbert and Hough welcomed their first child, daughter Everley Capri Hough, in December 2025. Their transition into parenthood has become part of their public story alongside their continuing work in entertainment and dance.
Conclusion
Hayley Erbert has built a career through dance, television exposure, touring, and live performance. Her journey from competitive dancer to a recognizable figure in the Dancing with the Stars world was followed by a difficult medical chapter and a return to the stage. Today, Hayley Erbert is also known as a wife and mother, adding a new dimension to a career closely tied to dance.
Conculsion
Hayley Erbert has built a notable career through competitive dance, television, touring, and live performances. From her early appearance on So You Think You Can Dance to her work with Dancing with the Stars, she established herself as a talented performer. Her marriage to Derek Hough, recovery from a serious medical emergency, return to dance, and journey into motherhood have added important chapters to her public story. Today, Hayley Erbert remains closely connected to the dance world while embracing a new chapter of family life.
