Derek Hough was "faking it" on his first seasons on 'Dancing With the Stars'.
Derek Hough
The 36-year-old star made his debut as one of the professional dancers in 2007's season five and admitted he felt "nervous" and "uncertain" at the time and took some time to adjust into his new job.
Speaking on the 'Whine Down' podcast, Derek - who has competed on the show 17 times and won six mirrorball trophies - said: “I definitely look back at my approach to the show. In my earlier seasons, I was nervous, and I was uncertain.
"I was kind of faking it, to be honest with you. I wasn’t really a teacher or choreographer.”
Derek felt "fearful and afraid" of his role on the show because people saw him as an experienced choreographer when he didn't feel like one, and he admitted it took a long time for him to work out how best to teach his celebrity partners.
He said: “I definitely would get more frustrated easier in my earlier seasons. I look back at some of my earlier seasons, thinking, ‘Man, I wish I knew then what I know now. I probably could have gotten more out of them with a better teaching approach, which I eventually learned and created. I wish I was better earlier on, and I could have given them a better and chance and experience.”
Derek waltzed off the dancefloor to join the judging panel in place of UK-based Len Goodman for 2020's season 29 and though it was "easier" to critique the couples than take part, he felt the pressures of being on a live show.
He said: “It’s definitely a lot easier, that’s for sure. Dancing of course is harder. Being on the show for 17 seasons I did [all] that [hard work]. There’s all different experiences, triumphs and failures and all the things I could have possibly thought of.
“I will say it’s a lot harder — when I was judging on 'World of Dance' it was pretaped [which is easier]. 'Dancing With the Stars'is live, once your time is up that’s it. Being a coach and being a teacher, I really want to give an actual note.”
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