Derek Hough’s tour, “Symphony of Dance,” came to Salt Lake City on May 15 after it was postponed in December 2023. Haley Erbert, Hough’s wife and a fellow dancer, underwent an “emergency craniotomy,” according to Hough’s Instagram post at the time.
This happened only a few months after their marriage in August.
Five months after her diagnosis, and after undergoing brain surgery, Erbert appears to have made a full recovery, dancing onstage with Hough at Eccles Theater.
The only noticeable difference was her short hair, which Hough remarked during the performance was a “cute haircut.”
Near the end of the performance, Erbert expressed her gratitude for everyone’s continued support, breaking down in tears. “Thank you guys so so much. For not only just being with us tonight, but being with us for the past five months.”
“It’s been a crazy time,” Erbert continued. “Thank you guys for your thoughts, your energy, your love, your support, your prayers. I truly believe that’s why I’m here today, so thank you guys.”
Hough described how the continuation of this tour was a result of Erbert’s effort. While rehearsing, he said he had “forgotten all the steps.” But according to him, Haley said, “It’s okay. I’ll show you” and lead him through the routine.
Why did Haley Erbert have a craniotomy?
As previously reported by the Deseret News, Erbert became “disoriented” after a performance on Dec. 6, 2023. She was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a cranial hematoma, which is caused when a blood vessel bursts in the brain and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.
The procedure involved removing a piece of Erbert’s skull, which was replaced in a follow up surgery with an implant.
In the initial post Hough made to inform fans of what was going on, he stated that she was “in stable condition.”
In an update on Instagram after the surgery, Hough announced, “Hayley is doing well. Her recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle.”
Two months later, in February, Hough and Erbert posted another update video to Instagram. Erbert said, “I’m doing so much better every single day, like truly there is so much progress every day, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Will Haley Erbert be able to dance again?
In April, Hough and Erbert announced that they would be continuing the “Symphony of Dance” tour after its postponement due to Erbert’s illness.
Erbert stated in an Instagram post, “My healing journey has been nothing short of extraordinary and being able to dance again is igniting my soul in all the ways; speeding up my recovery even more.”
The video accompanying the post showed her rehearsing without any issues.
On April 14, they began the renewal of their tour, per their website.
A viral TikTok from one of their performances on the continuation of the tour showed Erbert and the rest of the performers being given a standing ovation. Erbert becomes emotional as the other performers, including Hough, step back to give her the center stage.
In their Salt Lake City show, she participated in almost every song, presumably taking on a role just as intense as before her illness.
Derek Hough’s ‘Symphony of Dance’ review
The performance was an inspirational and stunning display of dance. The passion and dedication of all the dancers was on full display. Hough’s magnetic and charismatic personality flowed throughout the performance, from his dancing to his MC-ing.
He encouraged audience participation throughout by having them cheer loudly, by running through the crowd to high-five people and taking volunteers on stage.
Each song was accompanied with a costume change, of which the performers were able to pull of surprisingly quickly.
Hough, along with dancing, also sang and played instruments such as electric and acoustic guitar.
One of the stand out moments was a rendition of the first dance Hough and Erbert performed at their wedding. It was a heartwarming moment, especially taken in context with all their recent struggles.
Before performing their wedding dance, Hough said, “It’s crazy to imagine that going from having our first dance with my wife, just a few months later not knowing if I would have the chance to dance with her again. And that’s why this song is so much more special now and has such a deeper meaning, because it’s not just our first dance, but it’s really our second chance at a new life together.”
Toward the end, Hough performed one of the first dances he choreographed for the show. It was dedicated to the late Len Goodman, who passed in 2023, and was a judge on “Dancing with the Stars” with Hough.
Hough described the dance as, “No riff-raff. No messing about. Just a clean simple waltz.” He hoped it was good enough to warrant a score of at least seven from Goodman.
A voiceover narration during the dance summed up the theme of the performance, saying, “Individually your life are the notes of an intricate melody, each one unique and special, sharing our gifts and music with the world. But when we come together, we become something far greater than the sum of our parts.”
“It’s when we unite together in harmony, we create a melody that can inspire the world,” the narrator continued. “We become a symphony.”