“Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough was a resident bad boy during his time on the dance floor. That is, when it comes to breaking the rules at least.
The record-holding six-time Mirrorball Trophy winner opened up about his time in the ballroom and how it has impacted the way he judges today’s couples.
Rule Breaker
More than 10 years after walking away from the competition, Derek still holds the title for the most Mirrorball wins. And, according to Hough, his time competing on the ABC series has informed the way he judges the show — especially when it comes to couples who bend the rules.
“Lifts are kind of fun. Let’s just have some fun with it for a second. Cause I get it, I get it. Trust me, I’ve been on the other side,” Derek told USA Today. “It’s interesting because in Latin ballroom, there are no lifts in the competitive world. You don’t necessarily get docked on it though. You just don’t do them.”
Derek’s remarks come after a controversy rocked the ballroom after judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized Jenna Johnson and partner Harry Shum Jr. for their lift during their Samba performed to Usher’s “Yeah!” in week 5.
Jenna’s husband, professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, was later suspended for one week of competition after taking to social media to clap back at Carrie Ann. He later deleted the message and apologized. The two have seemingly made amends and Val has returned to the dance floor, but it has reignited the conversation over lifts.
“But over the years—I’m gonna be honest with you. I don’t think I was ‘the’ one, but I certainly helped break the rules, you know?” Derek added. “That’s why I don’t really call them out a lot. I was a big rule breaker when I was on the show.”
“I was doing flips and tricks with Shawn Johnson, and doing all sorts of things to dances that we weren’t supposed to be doing,” he said referring to his season 15 partner and Olympic gymnast. “But I think it’s fun to be able to have some kind of parameter to work within. And for us to call certain things out…I try to stay on the technique side of things.”
Lift-Gate
Following the “lift” drama this season, Carrie Ann spoke out, saying that the show should implement a “new lift rule.”
“I think in the future, a new lift rule should be created for next season. I think a session of with all the dancers and the judges in a room together to discuss the history of how and why Len Goodman, our original producers and I defined the lift rule and the what the purpose is which is safety and fairness,” she wrote via social media. “The show has evolved tremendously, the way the show is cast has also changed, and so has our audience and the way they consume the show. So, working together to create a better understanding between the dancers and the judges and our audience is important to me, as we move forward and is something I have asked for.”
According to Derek, however, certain dances including Salsa, Contemporary, Jazz and Argentine Tango, allow lifts and tricks.
“What I like about it is that there’s week where you can have lifts, and you can go crazy, and there’s weeks when you’re like, ‘You know what, don’t give the tricks. Do the technique,'” he shared. “Work on the technique, work on the form. Work on the things that, for me, is even more impressive than a fancy lift.”
DWTS Judge Derek Hough Reveals Real Reason He Doesn’t ‘Call Out’ Lifts Amid ‘Lift-Gate’ Drama