In Spite of Foot Injuries, Derek Hough Will Continue to Be Involved With “Dancing With the Stars” Season 20


Foot massage
With an estimated 25% of the total number of bones in the entire human located in the feet, it perhaps isn’t surprising that many athletes and performers are sidelined by foot injuries every year. However, thousands of viewers were likely shocked to hear that “Dancing With the Stars” favorite Derek Hough could be out for the season after breaking a toe and spraining an ankle. Fortunately, according to recent reports, the Utah-born dancer might not be out of the game just yet, with some even speculating he could finish out the season.Hough was injured on Monday, April 20 while practicing for the 10th anniversary “Dancing With the Stars” special. He was diagnosed with a broken toe on his right foot and sprains and bone bruising to his left ankle. As a result, a spokesman for the show quickly announced that Hough would not be dancing in the special, and his current partner, figure skater Nastia Liukin, would be teaming up with professional dancer Sasha Farber. It was also announced that Hough’s understudy in the “New York Spring Spectactular” at Radio City Music Hall would be taking over his role.

With these announcements, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Hough would be sidelined for the rest of season 20. However, the Emmy-Winning choreographer has made it clear that he and Liukin are still a team: ahead of the live show on Monday, April 27, Hough posted an Instagram shot of himself, Liukin and Farber in the studio. Additionally, he will be choreographing the rest of the team’s dances for the season.

“Withdrawing was never an option,” Hough told TV Guide.”‘Dancing With the Stars’ is not about me or any pro. It’s about the celebrities. It’s their journey. I’m part of the journey, but it’s not my journey. I want Nastia to have the best possible chance of winning. You know, she makes it look easy, but we put the work in. You see some of it, but I think a lot of people overlook the amount of work we put in and how much goes into putting together a routine and teaching and learning it. She’s a very hard worker and very determined, and I definitely feel like she can go all the way. There are other factors in play, but I feel like she can win.”

With this sense of commitment and determination, it is perhaps no wonder that some are speculating that Hough could return to finish out the season. At the 22nd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala, fellow pro Kym Johnson told E!News that she wouldn’t be surprised if he made a comeback.

“He’s at the studio, he’s definitely involved in all of the rehearsals. He’s still choreographing it, sitting down, explaining what he wants. He’s still part of the team, he might be back. I’m not sure!”

Hough was born in Salt Lake City to a Latter-Day Saint family full of avid dancers. At the age of 12, he and his sister, Julianne, were sent to study dance, gymnastics and theatre in London. Over the course of the next 10 years, Hough won numerous awards for Latin and ballroom dancing, and eventually joined “Dancing With the Stars” in the show’s fifth season. Since then, he has won a record five seasons on the show, starred in several movies and musicals, and won an Emmy for his choreography work.

Hough has reportedly returned to Los Angeles while he recovers from his injuries. He is reportedly working closely with a physical therapist to learn how to treat toe pain and other symptoms.


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