SEMSEM Gold Metallic Plissé Structured Top worn with SEMSEM Gold Sunray Plissé Maxi Skirt both by SEMSEM

From her early days as a dancer on Dancing with the Stars to her evolution as a judge and now host, Julianne Hough has lived much of her life in the public eye, always in motion, always transforming. Nearly two decades later, she returns to the stage not just as a performer, but as someone who has redefined her artistry and influence. Hough reflects on coming full circle, rediscovering her love of dance, and building platforms that empower the next generation to step into their own spotlight.

Dress by Norma Kamali
Devant Ring by Nicole Amato
Waves Cuff Bracelet by Nicole Amato
Heritage Earrings by Christina Caruso
Ring by MAM

A lot of people grew up watching Dancing with the Stars and times have changed (a lot) since the first time we were all introduced to your talent. Having experienced many full circles with the show, how did it feel coming back as a host as the woman you are today?
I have been so blessed to be a part of the Dancing with the Stars family since I was 18 years old, starting first as a dancer and really growing up, not just on the show, but in the homes of all the fans that have watched the show since the very beginning. It's amazing to see that the generation has grown up too. It's been 18 years since I was on the show as a dancer, then as a judge, and now I'm hosting, and to see the full circle moment where, the parents that were watching when I was a dancer have kids, and now they're 18 to 20 years old. It's had a whole resurgence, and TikTok has made it huge. It's become as popular it was back then, if not more, today. I grew up on the show, it basically raised me, I couldn't think of a better way to come back and hold the show as a host and a more mature role and watch this next generation of dancers and celebrities grow and shine.

Do you remember the first time you emotionally connected to dance and is there a sort of spiritual relationship you have with dance?
I don't know if I can remember the first time, because I literally came out of the womb dancing. I'm from a family of dancers, but I think I had to fall in love with dance again after so many years of doing it competitively. It kind of became an identity for me, versus a love. I had to re fall in love with dance a few years ago and almost unlearn everything that I learned. Not to be perfect and to be the best, and just to embrace how it feels in my body, just the joy and the surrender of what it feels like to dance versus how it looks to dance.

SEMSEM Metallic Plissé Cape Back Gown by SEMSEM
Luna Ring by Wyld Box

KINRGY captures the powerful energy of dance that viewers feel through the screen when watching Dancing with the Stars. What has it felt like to bring that experience to those who have craved it for so long?
I think that was the whole point. Listening to people around the world say that they love Dancing with the Stars and they wish that they could do Dancing with the Stars for the regular people. I was like, how can I offer that same sort of transformational arc that we see on the show in a 45-minute class? I really designed KINRGY to be a modality for people to go on this transformational experience and journey that allowed them to connect them to themselves in a deeper way, to feel free, to feel sexy, to feel powerful, to feel alive. When you watch the dancers on Dancing with the Stars, it takes them almost 14 weeks to get through that transformation as they learn how to dance. But really, the core of Dancing with the Stars is, it's a transformation show with dance being the lens in which we watch people transform.

Along with KINRGY, you and your brother have founded Ovation to nurture the talent of this next generation of dancers. What is the most important thing to you when it came to building this platform?
Nurturing this next generation of dancers, not just to be the best dancers that they can be through the training of the most prolific teachers around the world that we're going to bring to each convention and competition that we have for Ovation, but really to provide opportunity as well as create a mindset and safety around these young dancers as they grow into developed humans. When I was younger, it was very much, compete to win, be the best, love equals success, so really, nurturing the minds, and the fuel. I didn't really learn so much about feeding and fueling my body, as well as recovery. It's really the all rounded wellness of growing into a professional dancer, it's not just about the steps, it's not just about the tricks and how flexible and how athletic you are, but the well-rounded human that can step into this next chapter of their lives as dance professionals and really putting dance at the forefront. Dance has historically always been a supporting act to an artist, and I think more and more we're seeing dancers at the forefront, and that just makes me so happy, because dance is truly one of the most athletic things you can do. Looking at dancers as artistic athletes, where they get to have their own spotlight, and it's not in support of but they get to be the star is incredible.

What do you want the next generation of dancers to truly understand and know?
My philosophy in general, whether it's dance or any human on the planet, is that anything is possible. If you have the right mentorship, the right self-talk, if you nurture all parts of you, not just the ones that you're good at, but the parts that maybe take a little bit of time to develop, then you get to be as well rounded as possible. For me, being, the age that I am, and the career that I've had is, yes, you can follow my path, because I created one for me, but at the end of the day, I want others to create their own path. We’ve been able to forge a path that didn't exist because we created it, and now I hope that others will surpass the path that we created.

What brings you joy about mentoring?
I believe that everyone has their own unique gift and has an essence within themselves, their soul, that they deserve to be seen, valued and heard. Mentoring, in a way, allows for me to be someone consistent in that person's life that says, hey, I see you. I value you, you are worthy, and you can trust that by me pushing you inthis way it’s because I believe in you, not because you're not good enough. I've experienced the opposite growing up. You can push from two different places. You can be successful out of proving people wrong, or you can be successful because you had all the belief in the world that it was possible, and both versions, will probably create a lot of success for you, because there's a lot of charge behind it. But I hope that I can be the mentor in the latter, which is, man, Julianne always believed in me, there was never any doubt in her mind and that's the fuel that got me through certain times or hardships.

You are returning to the screen as an actress after an 8 year hiatus. What made you excited to join the cast of The Bride?
I was so excited when I first got the audition. It was very much a Ginger Rogers type role. The Golden Age of Hollywood was really the era that I felt like I should have been born in with the triple threat, singing, dancing and acting, so when I saw this, this role, and I got this audition, I was like, oh my gosh, I have to get this. This is so up my alley, and just to be a part of just an amazing cast. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her vision and the caliber of talent and experts and people that have dedicated their life to their craft. It’s one thing to be surrounded by one or two people like that, but in a project like this at this scale, with this many brilliant humans. I always say, when you're the best in the room, go to a different room. I definitely moved into another room with this project, and just witnessing everyone's excellence puts me in a position to grow. I think that's just my whole motivation for life, to continue to grow and to learn.

Can you tell us about your experience on Broadway and how it has differed from everything else you have done?
It was the first time that I was a part of an ensemble cast where, each one of us played a very valuable role that we couldn't have done on our own, and there was so much support from these, six women. I was kind of the baby, and stepping into this group of women who were just marvelous humans. A lot of people would have expected that I would have done a musical as my Broadway debut, but I did a play, a political farce, which is, very odd considering what you would expect from me. And I think I loved it. It showed that there are different parts and facets of who I am that make up the fullness of who I am versus just the one line of what people know and love, but that you know, I'm a whole human that loves a bunch of different things as well.

Outfit by Almond Nomad Lace Top with Bell Sleeves by Bibhu
Almond Nomad Dropped Waist Lehenga Pleated Skirt by Bibhu

You sing, dance, write, act. Is there anything you actually never want to do, or is everything on the table?
Everything is on the table. I love to try new things, I love to discover. I even love to discover what I'm bad at, I’m always willing to try, I'm always willing to push myself in an area, to learn something new. Sometimes I'll discover that, yep, didn't love that, I'm going to move on. Or, wow, I had no idea that I was going to love that so much. I'm always willing to try anything.

What are the core values you keep close as you move through multiple industries?
I'd say curiosity, devotion, play. Movement for me, it doesn't have to be dance but just being active and, in my body, and embodied. That just creates presence and truth. I think that no matter what I do, I want to be honest, truthful and present in everything that I do.

What has transformed you the most?
I am on a constant, transformational wheel. I feel like I'm almost addicted to transformation. I kind of look at it like a spiral. I've learned this lesson, and I've transformed, it took me quite a long time, and then I get closer to the center, and I feel like I've had more of a transformation. It’s happened faster in the last couple years than my entire life, like I've been on one big transformational wheel, and then all of a sudden I'm speeding up, and I'm going through multiple transformations faster and I think the last transformational experience that I just had was, I was in my home of 11 years, and I decided it felt complete, and I was ready to move. I sold almost everything that I owned, my furniture, my clothes, everything, and I really, slimmed down to almost nothing, and I realized, that’s such a clean slate, I get to really design the life that I want from this place versus, over the last few years, there's been a lot of things that have kept me in one identity of this is who I am. I have such an opening with not a lot of possessions to my name, and just really, like, what am I going to create from this place

When was the last time you were a true beginner?
When I started surfing. I've been surfing consistently for about a year, but it started like three years ago. I was a true beginner, and it was really challenging. It was tough, but I loved it because it takes me out of what I know that I'm good at, and puts me into a position of, you have to start somewhere. You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. I just feel that the happiest people are the people that continue to grow and learn something new every day, because it not only activates the brain, but it also puts you in a position where you're not thinking about the mundane things of day-to-day life. You're putting yourself in a position to experience the world in a new way. That's just the philosophy that I'm going to live by, is just to be a constant student, to learn, to grow, and, try things to make you happy.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Julianne Hough
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Makeup: Megan Lanoux Isentol at The Wall Group
Hair: Xavier Velasquez at A-Frame Agency
Photography Assistants: Dani Sax River Chad
Fashion Stylist Interns: Saya Skarbinski, Flora Davis
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Seana Watson, Associate Fashion Editor, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Sabine Obermoller, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Studio: Love Studios

Julianne Hough, Life in Motion