Before Julianne Hough was the world-renowned ballroom champion she is today, she was just a young girl with a dream.
The “Dancing With the Stars” host grew up in Utah. As the youngest of five siblings, including her brother Derek Hough, she often felt determined to stand out.
In a new social media update, Julianne reflected on her journey and the long road to fame and success.
Julianne Hough Strives to Honor Her Younger Self
Julianne Hough first joined “Dancing With the Stars” in season 4. She and Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno won the Mirrorball trophy that year. She won again in season 5 with driver, Hélio Castroneves.
The Utah dancer stepped away for several years after season 8. In season 32, Julianne Hough became a co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro. Since then, she’s enjoyed entertaining audiences and performing on occasion, too.
No matter how successful Julianne Hough becomes, she wants to honor the younger version of herself and her hard work.
“Chasing dreams for my younger self 🤍” the DWTS host captioned a new Instagram post.
“‘You’re so extra. Who are you trying to impress?'” she wrote over the video, including clips of her performing on DWTS.
“HER,” Julianne follows up, attaching photos of herself as a small child competing in various ballroom competitions.
Overall, fans found the post incredibly relatable.
“Love this because SAME 🥹🥹🥹” new troupe member Kamri Peterson wrote in the comments.
“We love HER❤️🔥✨🫂” “So You Think You Can Dance” alum Makenzie Dustman added.
“You are the perfect example to inspire future generations, Julianne! ✨🩷” a fan sweetly chimed in.
The DWTS Host Went on to Inspire Other Young Women
As Julianne Hough grew up in the competitive ballroom space, she inspired many other young girls to follow in her footsteps. DWTS season 34 champion Witney Carson admitted to completely idolizing her co-star when they were younger.
“Did you know Julianne and Derek growing up?” Kate Mackz asked Witney during a walk in Central Park.
“Oh yes, Julianne was like my idol. That was who I looked up to, like I wanted to be her so badly,” Witney revealed. “And I think it looked so attainable because she was coached by the same people as we were and we were just watching her career. Like little girls, just dreaming of being her. So yes, I definitely knew them.”
Over the years, the entire “Dancing With the Stars” cast grew incredibly close. They often spend holidays with one another. Some dancers even went on to marry each other.
“We’re all just a really close family now,” Witney added. “I’m very fortunate to have people I grew up with now in this industry because it keeps you grounded. It keeps you making sure you’re focusing on what’s important.”
Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro return next Tuesday night to host DWTS season 35, week three. The theme for next week is “Yacht Rock” night, so tune in and see the top 13 couples perform to softer rock hits.
The fun kicks off at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, on ABC.
