Derek Hough made a name for himself on Dancing With the Stars, but he has since evolved into one of the most well-known dancers in the world. So, it makes sense that he be one of the judges on hit reality competition show World of Dance. As the show enters season 3, there are several changes and one of the biggest changes is the new host, Scott Evans. And, as the show airs, Hough is preparing for his very own solo tour, which incorporates former World of Dance contestants.
Recently, Hough took some time to chat with us about the new season 3 of World of Dance, the unexpected contestants, his tour and his crazy schedule. Read on below for our interview with the King of Dance.
HEAVY: What are you most excited for the fans to see this season on World of Dance?
HOUGH: Well, there’s this amazing energy to this season that just feels brighter. It just feels vibrant and the dancing, the talent is just exceptional, as well as some of the stories of the dancers that are heart-wrenching, beautiful and inspiring. It’s just purely entertaining. I can honestly say that there are things you’ve never seen before. When I feel like I’ve seen everything and then you watch some of the performances and are like, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
HEAVY: Are there any moments where you’re mind is blown, trying to figure out how a move was done?
HOUGH: Yeah, there’s one move I’m thinking of where I literally had to go work it out. I was like, “How is that literally possible?”You are going to be rewinding stuff without a doubt.
HEAVY: So, when you’re watching these acts, what do you take most into consideration when it comes to your own judging style?
HOUGH: I think, for me, one of the big things is execution because you can tell when something doesn’t quite go as planned or something is a little off. You might have a great routine, but if it’s not executed well, it’s unfortunate. What’s great is that on the show, we have a scoring system on the desk where we are able to really go through choreography, transition, impact, technicality … all of those things really play a part in the scores.
HEAVY: In the past, were there ever acts that you wanted to work with outside of the show?
HOUGH: Yeah and actually I am. I’m about to go on my first solo tour and four of the dancers I’ve hired already were on season 2 of World of Dance. I thought they were amazing and I told them I would love for them to come on tour. It’s exciting because, even if you’re not a huge fan of mine, you’re going to love these dancers. We also have live musicians on stage, so it’s something I haven’t done before.
Tune in to NBC on Tuesday nights to watch World of Dance and be sure to check out Derek Hough on his first big solo tour.