In Partnership with Julianne Hough and Derek Hough, OVATION Promises Unparalleled Experience
Hough, Chmerkovskiy, Johnson, Ballas, Fedoke, Favia. There’s a new dance convention and competition in town, and the stars are showing out.
Photo Credit: Ovation by DanceOne
In partnership with Julianne Hough and Derek Hough, Ovation by DanceOne is set to deliver cutting-edge training and high-energy competition led by today’s most sought-after dancers and choreographers. The brand-new, multi-genre convention and competition fuses the innovation of the convention world and styles like Contemporary and Jazz with the fire and flair of international Latin ballroom, creating a truly unparalleled experience with education, inspiration, and elevation front and center at every turn.
With the popularity of dance as an art and an athletic youth sport and the mass cultural momentum created from ABC’s hit series Dancing with the Stars, to TikTok, to Wicked, to arena-style dance competitions continuing to surge, there’s no better time than now for Ovation to take center stage. The new event, set to kick off December 5-7 in Chicago, will represent a major milestone for Latin ballroom as it expands dance into the live entertainment space.
As a four-time Emmy Award winner and 13-time nominee, Derek Hough holds the record for the most choreography nominations in Television Academy history. In 2020, he rejoined Dancing with the Stars as a judge, remaining the only six-time champion in franchise history as a competitor. Before his work on stage and screen, and becoming a household name, Hough competed in the Junior and Youth Divisions worldwide in Latin American Dance and earned the title of Under 21 World Latin American Champion.
With Ovation, which he co-founded with his sister Julianne, ready to launch, it’s a full circle moment for Hough and a natural next step in a dance career that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. During the recent promotion for Ovation, Hough was also announced as the new host of “Extra,” marking another major career milestone. He’s grateful for all of it.
“I’ve had a theatrical career on Broadway and West End, and 20 years of television, all because of dance,” Hough told us earlier this month on a call from New York. “I’ve been very fortunate and I’ve worked incredibly hard. I’ve been competing and dancing since I was 12 years-old. I’ve traveled the world. I owe so much to it. And so for me, I’m asking about the next chapter. Part of my life as a competitive dancer, it’s really about yourself, right? I want to be the best, I want to be number one, I want to be a champion. And that fuel is good for so long, but it’s not sustainable. Where I am right now, it’s about service. How can I give back to this beautiful world of dance that has given me so much? And how can I serve this next generation as a dancer?”
Hough believes Ovation, with its multi-faceted, multi-genre approach, is one way to serve the next generation not just on screen, but face to face. Creating art through connection, community, and family is what drives his enthusiasm for the project. Because of his own experiences with his mentors and teachers, those who have guided and motivated him, Hough is driven to create an experience where the current generation of dancers have more opportunities to learn, create, and perform, and feel some of the spotlight on them that he has so far in his career.
“For me, that’s what is inspiring, that’s what’s exciting,” Hough said. “To be in that position now, to give back to the dance community in a beautiful way, and to connect on a deep level. The goal is to create something that’s both fun, exciting, educational, and competitive. Because I think competition is extremely healthy. I think it’s important to have goals, to have a vision of what you want to try to achieve. I love the competition element, I love the educational component, and I love the show aspect of it, too, to inspire and to motivate.”
Best Of The Best
Ovation at its core combines the best of the best of the convention and competition circuit, with a showstopping performance to kick off each weekend of the tour. It’s the first dance tour to combine a traditional model with the elegance and athleticism of a true ballroom competition. Dancers of all ages can compete in familiar genres like Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jazz, but also in a full-scale Latin competition, where dozens of dancers will compete simultaneously on the floor. It’s not just a competition or convention in the traditional sense; it’s an immersive dance experience.
Dan Galpern, CEO of DanceOne, the leading producer of educational and competitive dance events globally, said that expanding opportunities for dancers remains the primary goal and mission for DanceOne. For Ovation, produced by DanceOne, bringing ballroom centerstage was a driving force in its creation, as well as embracing current trends and bridging a gap between genres to create a one-of-a-kind dance opportunity for the attendees. Galpern has seen first-hand the exponential growth of ballroom and attributes that to Hough and the Dancing with the Stars family.
“We have over 500,000 elite-level dancers in the United States who are coming to DanceOne events, and who are showing what incredible dedication, what incredible work ethic, talent, athleticism, you can result in,” Galpern told us. “We get to see that 500 plus times a year in our 500 plus events. Three years ago, what I noticed was that the number of students that came to our event and would compete in our event, those taking the ballroom class that had ballroom-specific shoes, was relatively small. But the impact globally that Derek has had and that the Dancing with the Stars family has had, not only on the zeitgeist of the important dance, which is a gift for the entire community, but also for the dancers themselves. What we’re seeing was the number of dancers that were showing up with ballroom-specific shoes, was growing exponentially every year, and the quality of that dance. We were fortunate enough when Derek and Julianne reached out and said, ‘We want to build this with DanceOne, can you help us and be that platform?’ It was just such a natural partnership.”
Ovation features a live stage show with performances by all-star faculty, pro assistants, and special surprise guests as its first event in each city. Choreographed by industry icons, “The Show” promises to inspire, excite, and energize. In addition to the unique element the opening performance will bring to Ovation, the class component is described as “a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind dance experience that’s changing the game—a launchpad for growth, expression, and transformation.”
Its faculty lineup brings together the industry’s top teachers, choreographers, and artists all under one roof, with every class designed to challenge, uplift, and connect dancers of all levels. In addition to Julianne and Derek, the artists for Ovation, who will vary from city to city, include Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Talia Favia, Mark Ballas, Comfort Fedoke, Nika Kljun, Robbie Blue, and Dominique Kelley.
The competition component offers dancers the opportunity to step into the spotlight, performing routines to music of their choice. Each routine is performed in front of a panel of judges, offering the chance to shine and receive valuable feedback from industry professionals. Performance Divisions include: Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Ballroom, Improvisation, and Specialty (ethnic, acro/gymnastics, novelty, clogging, etc.).
Photo Credit: Corey Fox
The Global Impact Of Personal Connections
Galpern notes that the importance of creating events that continuously evolve is in direct correlation to what the dance community needs and wants, its global impact, and what platforms such as Dancing with the Stars have done to promote dance on a worldwide scale. Ovation merges pop culture and dance education across the industry.
“The level of talent that currently exists and is being created is the best of any athletic endeavor anywhere in the world without question,” Galpern noted. “What’s happening now is that it is being celebrated both through the light that Derek, Julianne, Val, Jenna, have shown on it. The number one consumed content globally on social media is dance. Kids who choose to take their talent and dedicate their lives are inspired by people like Derek and Julianne. We don’t need to produce lots of different things. But if there’s an area in the market that is being underserved and there’s something that’s unique and extraordinary, like Ovation, you can really take something which isn’t being done anywhere by anyone and couple it with, without a doubt, the best talent ever assembled anywhere to do this, which is the Ovation team.
“Jenna and Val were involved as well. Jenna is a perfect example—all of the majority of the female pros now in Dancing with the Stars are actually perfect examples of what the hybrid of, a convention, multifaceted dancer who also does born a Latin dancing. This type of event, we all would have loved to have an ovation in our lives growing up.”
For Hough, what he wants most for those who attend Ovation is for them to walk away feeling connected and hopeful. And to be immersed in a moment truly personal to each individual dancer.
“To feel connected to people, to feel connected to themselves, that’s what dance does,” Hough said. “Dance is a way to connect to yourself, to be present. When I’m dancing, I’m not thinking about the past, I’m not thinking about the future, I’m thinking about that moment. I’m lost in the moment, in a world where presence is one of those valuable commodities we could possibly have to create an experience where everybody is present. They’re there, they’re learning, they’re connecting with each other, they’re connected to themselves, and also, let’s not forget the parents. I have such a fond fondness for these parents, because I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the support system and the people around my life. It’s not just about what’s happening in the rooms, but what’s happening outside the rooms as well. I want everybody to walk away from this experience feeling inspired, motivated, that they’ve learned a lot, and, more importantly, as well, hopeful, of a future in dance.”
Ovation kicks off in major U.S. cities, including Chicago, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Dallas—before taking the stage worldwide.
For more information, see ovationdancetour.com
Hear more from Derek Hough on Ovation in the Septemeber/October issue of Inside Dance magazine.
