Hayley Erbert is not closing the door on Dancing with the Stars just yet.
The 31 year old dancer says a return is possible. Just not simple.
“Never say never,” Hayley told People when asked if fans might see her back in the ballroom.
She last appeared on the show in 2024. That performance mattered. One year after her emergency craniectomy, she shared an emotional moment. She danced with her husband, Derek Hough.
Why Derek Being a Judge Complicates Things
Hayley admitted there is one big hurdle.
Derek.
“It’s a little difficult with Derek being a judge,” she said. “Might be a little bit of a conflict of interest.”
Derek agrees. And he joked about it.
“I’d be overly hard,” he laughed.
“I’d be like, ‘Two.’ Then I’d be like, ‘Babe, I love you. I’m so sorry.’”
That honesty says a lot about how real this decision is for them.
A New Priority Right Now
For now, the couple has other plans.
They are hitting the road this summer for their Encore dance tour. And they are not traveling alone.
They are bringing their baby girl, Everley.
Hayley and Derek welcomed Everley on December 29. Life changed fast.
“Hayley really wants to go out and dance and perform,” Derek said.
“And knowing her, she will.”
Hayley admitted touring with a baby will be an adjustment. But she would not have it any other way.
Hayley Erbert Hough Shares "Primal" Home Birth Video
— MEAWW (@meawwofficial) January 30, 2026
Professional dancers Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough are celebrating one month with their daughter, Everley Capri, by sharing an intimate look at her home birth. #CelebrityNews #FYP #ExplorePage #trending #popculture pic.twitter.com/nU6OH3BuJN
Motherhood Changed Everything
Hayley shared a quiet truth about her career mindset.
For years, people asked where she saw herself in five years.
She never had an answer.
“I had this epiphany,” she said.
“The reason I don’t see anything in my career in the future right now is because I want to be a mom.”
That clarity shaped everything.
“Now that it’s here, I just want to relish in it,” she explained.
“I’ll figure out the work eventually.”
Still, one thing remains certain.
“I want to dance. I want to keep moving,” Hayley said.
“We will see if my body is ready. Maybe I’m just in a number. Who knows?”
Will Baby Everley Dance One Day?
Derek did not hesitate.
“Of course,” he said.
Not as pressure. As a gift.
“Dancing teaches coordination, confidence, community,” he explained.
Hayley added a reality check.
“Some kids love dance because their parents are dancers,” she said.
“And some kids hate it for the same reason. So you never know.”
Can't wait until these lil feet get their first pair of dancing shoes 🥹 Congratulations to Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Hough on their sweet baby, Everley. 💜 pic.twitter.com/JRLhM6fSMR
— Dancing with the Stars #DWTS (@officialdwts) January 5, 2026
The Name That Felt Right
The couple also recently opened up about Everley’s name.
Hayley said it sat at the top of her list for years.
“It always had a little star by it,” she shared.
They waited several days before deciding. They wanted to feel it.
Derek revealed the spelling mattered. Everley includes “ley,” just like Hayley’s name.
Then came the signs.
Everley was 11 days late.
Hayley was born on October 11.
The name carries the master number 11.
“It felt right,” Derek said.
Her middle name, Capri, sealed it.
“Capri is the little spicy part of her,” he added.
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