In a year where influence often feels commodified by algorithms and headlines, TIME Magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People arrives like a spotlight on quiet revolutions. Amid titans like Elon Musk, Serena Williams, and Ed Sheeran, one name gleams with unexpected poetry: Derek Hough, the 40-year-old ballroom virtuoso turned multifaceted force of stage and screen. Unveiled in TIME’s annual April edition but still sparking viral aftershocks seven months later, Hough’s inclusion – penned by a surprise guest contributor – has ignited a fresh wave of adoration. Fans, fellow dancers, and even skeptics are poring over the tribute, calling it “stunning” for its unflinching portrait of a man who turns vulnerability into velocity. As Hough himself quipped on Instagram yesterday, reposting the feature: “From the ballroom floor to the world’s stage – who knew twirls could topple walls?”
Hough’s journey reads like a Broadway script with no intermission. Born in 1985 in Salt Lake City to a Mormon family of seven siblings, he was a prodigy who traded Utah winters for London fog at age 12, training under the International Dance Federation’s elite. By 19, he exploded onto Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) in 2007, partnering with pros like Joanna Krupa and Mark Ballas in a whirlwind of Latin fire and standard elegance. Seventeen seasons, six Mirrorball Trophies (a record), and countless tears later, he evolved from contestant to choreographer, judge, and host – all while guesting on Nashville, voicing Trolls, and directing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live. Yet it’s his 2024 Emmy win for Outstanding Choreography on DWTS – for a haunting routine honoring his late sister Julianne’s battle with addiction – that cemented his pivot from performer to provocateur. “Dance isn’t escape,” he told Variety post-win. “It’s excavation.”
What elevates Hough to TIME’s pantheon isn’t sequins or spotlight; it’s substance. The magazine’s tribute, ghostwritten by none other than his DWTS successor and friend, Alfonso Ribeiro (the Carlton king turned host), doesn’t sugarcoat the glitter. Instead, it excavates Hough’s essence: “Derek Hough is a transformative artist whose influence stretches far beyond the stage and into the hearts of people around the world,” Ribeiro writes, his words landing like a perfectly timed lift. “In an era of performative perfection, Derek redefines modern stage performance by weaving raw vulnerability into every step – a grace that inspires millions to confront their own stumbles. He’s not just a dancer; he’s a healer, mentoring young performers with the warmth of a big brother, sharing stories of resilience that make strength feel achievable, not unattainable.” The piece spotlights Hough’s post-DWTS empire: his 2025 No Limits tour, blending ballroom with contemporary fury to sold-out arenas; his Resilient podcast, where episodes with guests like Simone Biles unpack mental health mid-pirouette; and his quiet philanthropy, funneling tour proceeds to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention after losing his sister in 2020.
Ribeiro’s pen doesn’t stop at praise – it probes the poetry. “Watch Derek choreograph emotion into movement, and you see a man who’s danced through divorce, loss, and the industry’s relentless churn, emerging not scarred but sculpted,” he notes, alluding to Hough’s candid 2023 memoir Resilience, which topped New York Times bestseller lists for 12 weeks. “His gift? Making the impossible intimate – a foxtrot that feels like therapy, a salsa that sparks self-love. In a world that rewards armor, Derek chooses authenticity, proving you can lift others without losing yourself.” Fans are devouring this intimacy; #DerekTIME100 has amassed 8 million TikToks, with duets recreating his routines to the tribute’s audio overlay. One viral clip from a 16-year-old aspiring dancer: “Derek made me believe my anxiety could two-step away.”
The buzz isn’t confined to echo chambers. Critics, often quick to dismiss dance icons as “reality TV relics,” are recalibrating. The Hollywood Reporter called the honor “overdue alchemy,” praising how Hough’s influence mirrors broader cultural shifts: post-pandemic, audiences crave creators who choreograph catharsis. His 2025 collaborations – a Hamilton remix for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tour, a viral SNL sketch lampooning TikTok trends – underscore TIME’s thesis. As Ribeiro concludes: “Derek doesn’t just move bodies; he moves mountains of doubt, one genuine grin at a time. In an industry that chews up dreamers, he’s the rare force who spits out stars.”
Hough’s grounded glow – that Utah-bred humility amid Hollywood haze – amplifies the accolade. Married to fellow dancer Hayley Erbert since 2024 (after her harrowing 2023 brain surgery, which he chronicled with heartbreaking grace on social media), he shuns A-list excess for family hikes and impromptu living-room lessons. “Influence isn’t followers; it’s fingerprints on souls,” he told People in a post-list interview, eyes misty. “If my steps help one kid lace up their sneakers, that’s the real trophy.” Peers are piling on: Julianne Hough, his Emmy-winning sister, posted a tearful video: “You’ve been my mirrorball forever, bro.” Witney Carson, his longtime DWTS partner and the site of this “breaking” scoop (a cheeky nod to her own rising profile), commented: “From Paso Doble to pinnacle – you earned every step.”
Yet beneath the celebration simmers a sharper edge: TIME’s nod arrives amid industry reckonings. As streamers slash dance budgets and AI threatens choreography copyrights, Hough’s ascent spotlights the unsung power of live art. His advocacy – testifying before Congress in 2024 on arts funding, partnering with the Kennedy Center for youth programs – positions him as a bridge between boomers who DWTS-binge and Gen Z scrolling for soul. “He’s the anti-influencer influencer,” Ribeiro quips in the piece, “grounded in grit, warm in a world gone cold.”
As 2025 wanes, Hough’s TIME moment feels timeless – a reminder that true sway isn’t seized but shared. From prodigy to pioneer, he’s scripted a narrative where every fall fuels a flourish. Fans will toast this for years, replaying routines that resonate deeper than applause. In Derek Hough’s world, the dance floor isn’t a stage; it’s a sanctuary. And the world? It’s finally catching the rhythm.
