Julianne Hough Reveals the Secret Behind Her Incredible Bond with Brother Derek trucc

Julianne Hough and Derek Hough are easily some of the most likable celebrity siblings, and fans have gotten to know them better because of their appearances on “Dancing With the Stars.” Their close bond has been highlighted on the show, as well as in sweet Instagram tributes, but Julianne recently provided more insight into her relationship with her brother.

 
Julianne Hough Sheds Light on Her Sibling Bond With Derek Hough

The siblings bond through dance. Julianne and Derek started on DWTS in 2007 for Season 5, and have become a huge part of the ABC dancing competition. They have also launched Ovation, a dance competition tour and convention that they hope will “elevate dance.”

In an interview with The Wrap on June 14, Julianne discussed their next venture, saying, “We’re hoping that we can take all of our years of experience in the professional world and bring it to these young kids and elevate dance … in the best way we can, as well as give them the kind of training that we would have absolutely loved if we were kids to blend the two worlds of jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, as well as the ballroom in the Latin space.”

 
There Are Times Derek Hough & Julianne Hough Clash

The pair appears to have an incredibly close bond, but, like most siblings, there are also times when they don’t see eye-to-eye, and Julianne is honest about this. “Like any brother-sister relationship, we have our moments where we clash … but what’s so great about it is that we actually challenge each other to raise each other’s standards,” Julianne told The Wrap.

When Derek turned 40 on May 17, 2025, his sister celebrated him with a touching post. Julianne posted a bunch of photos on Instagram from a week’s trip to Disney World she took with her brother, his wife Hayley Erbert, and their loved ones. In the caption of the post, Julianne informed fans that her heart was full and praised her brother and his wife for making it happen.

“The fact that this is what Derek wanted for his 40th birthday, gathering our entire family in a place built for joy and imagination, says everything about the man he is,” she wrote. “And that’s thanks in huge part to his incredible wife @hayley.erbert who brought this whole dream to life. Your heart and thoughtfulness reflect and uplift Derek’s spirit in the most beautiful way.”