Derek Hough – Elizabeth Joy Hadley

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Grammy, Idaho, Lisa, Mother, Mother's Day, Twin Falls

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

May 14, 2023May 13, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s but especially to my mother, Lisa Joye Hadley.

Let me tell you about my mom. My mom is just the sweetest woman. She also has so much energy, and loves to go new places, try new things, and experience life! She also just loves her family so much, and is the biggest supporter of us all.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a good parent. And the conclusion I have come to is to: be there. Be there when your child is having a good day, bad day, an off day, a sick day. Be there for them when they succeed but also when they fail. Be there for them for their sports games, their musicals, their dance recitals. Be there for them in the morning, and be there for them in the night.

My mom was always there. She was and still is the person who I know will always support me in my choices, and congratulate me on my accomplishments, and talk to me when I feel like I’ve failed.

A parents is a hard role to play, but I guarantee I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my mother who always told me I could do whatever I put my mind to. No matter what I wanted to try, she let me try it, and she let me figure out for myself what I wanted to do and didn’t want to do.

I am very thankful for my mom. She never tried to force anything on me, she would guide me and help me decide what I wanted to do, but she never forced me to do anything, and that is so important.

I never really realized any of this until I moved across the entire country at the age of 22. I realized then that the only reason I was able to do that all on my own was because of her and my father. Because I knew that she believed in me, but I also knew that if I needed her, she would be there.

I am so thankful for my mom for letting me figure out who I am without her forcing me to be who she wanted me to be. My mom is the best, and I love her with all my heart.

There are very few people who I would fly across the country to surprise for their birthday, but she is one of them!

I can’t wait for more adventures and fun with you Mom, and I am so thankful for you for always being there, supporting me, and loving me through everything. You are the reason I am who I am, and I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. I love you so much Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

I can’t wait to see Derek Hough again with you, as is our tradition!

(BTW, I will write one of these for my father on Father’s Day, because he also made me who I am today. I love you too Dad.)

Also, I would like to give a shoutout to my two grandmother’s my two aunt’s and all the other Mom’s in the world who are raising the next generation to be good, kind people who can think for themselves and make this world a better place. Where would we be without Mom’s?

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Idaho, Las Vegas, Magic, Twin Falls

Seeing Derek Hough in Las Vegas

December 11, 2021 elizabethjoyhadley

I had the absolute best weekend ever seeing Derek Hough in his Las Vegas residency, so I thought I would write about it.

So on November 6th, my Mom flew to Vegas from Boston, and I flew to Vegas from Boise and we met up to celebrate her birthday and see Derek!

We walked around and explored the city. I have been to Vegas 2 times but never with my Mom so it was super fun! We are such good travel partners, and my mom is really my best friend!

I love Vegas, it is such a cool place! I love the theme hotels, and all the people watching!

Then it was time to see Derek! His show was at The Venetian and I really enjoyed how the theatre was small, it made it seem like we were part of the show!

Which, actually, I did become part of the show!! Derek was asking for volunteers and he picked me!

I have been to every single one of Derek’s shows, and he has never picked me, so I was SO EXCITED!

He lined us all up, I was the tallest so I was in the back. He told me to stand really still and not move because he was going to come up and push off my shoulders to jump over us!

It was AMAZING!! I was so happy!!

The whole show was spectacular, an hour and a half of pure joy! The thing I admire the most about Derek is his passion, and who he is, he cares for people, and he cares about people, and he really truly is doing exactly what he was put on this earth to do, and there is something so special about that!

In this picture Derek was telling us how for so long he always wondered if he was enough, and it took him a long time to realize that no matter how many accomplishments he had, or how many awards he won, he was always enough, and so are we.

To be honest with you all, I never feel like I’m enough, I always wonder if I am going to be successful, but none of that matters. What matters is how we treat other people, and who we are on the inside. Thank you Derek for reminding me of that.

The finale dance was to a medley from The Greatest Showman, one of my favorite movies! Such a perfect way to end the show!

As soon as it was over, I wanted to see it again!

The next day was our last day, we spent it relaxing by the pool!

I am so thankful I got to see my Mom, and also Derek, I am so thankful for this experience!

I hope I have the chance to see the magic on stage again someday!

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Suffolk University

I’ve met Derek Hough 6 times!

September 30, 2021 elizabethjoyhadley

Hello friends! If you know me at all, then you must know that Derek Hough is my absolute favorite dancer, choreographer, human, of all time.

Well, I am so excited to be going to Las Vegas to see him on November 7th at the Venetian! My mom is going to come from Massachusetts and I am coming from Idaho and we will have the absolute best time! The show we are going to is on my mom’s birthday.

But, let’s take a little look at how many times I have seen and met Derek Hough, just because these pictures make me happy!

June 22nd, 2014, my mom and I travelled to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to see Derek in his first Move Live on Tour show!

August 8th, 2014- I met Derek Hough at his book signing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. This was one of the best days ever! I felt like I just met my hero!

He signed my book! Also, if you haven’t read Derek’s book, you totally should!

Then, Derek announced that he was going to star in The Radio City Rockettes Spring Spectacular, and of course I went to New York City to see him in the show! We were in the second row, and I left before the show was over so I could go meet Derek at the stage door!

April 3rd, 2015, one of the best days, here we are at the stage door!

He even signed my phone case!

Then, he announced him and his sister were going on another Move Live on Tour, and they were coming to Boston this time! I got tickets again, and went to see him! I waited at the stage door after the show was over, but he didn’t come out this time. The show was still amazing!

I didn’t see Derek again until May 4th, 2017, but this story is wild!

Okay, picture this, I am sitting in the Suffolk University library studying for my media law final. It is a picture perfect day in Boston, the sun is shining and people are happy. I have front row VIP tickets to see Derek Hough on his Move Beyond show for the next day.

I take a break from my flashcards to look at Instagram, and Derek Hough has posted on his Instagram story that he is in the Public Garden, which is about a 10 minute walk from where I am.

I immediately stop studying for my final and call up my best friends Andrea and Andrew as we wander through the city trying to find him.

From the public garden to Fanueil Hall to the Esplanade, we were trying so hard to find him. I just wanted to meet him again, because Derek has been such an inspiration to me.

We decided to sit down on the Greenway because he hadn’t posted in 45 minutes, and I was about to give up, but then he posted that he was inside the Aquarium. We get up and start walking towards the Aquarium. I decided I was just going to wait outside the door and try to see him when he walks out. Just as I made those plans, there he is walking towards me.

I kind of feel bad because it was so obvious he was trying to just have a relaxing day to himself, but I knew I had to say Hi. I called his name and he came over. I told him the story and told him that I was coming to his show the next day. We took these pictures.

Derek said it was like we were playing Pokemon Go, but for celebrities!

The next day I took my media law final, I got a 97 on it by the way, and then we went to the show! I went with my mom and dad and we had VIP tickets, so we got to meet him and his sister before the show, and attend a Q&A session. I wanted to do a really funny picture with Derek, so when I got up there, I said Derek how about you pretend that you are proposing to me? I didn’t know if he would go for it or not, but here is the result.

It was hilarious! I loved this day!

His show was awesome, and in the middle of it, Derek came through the audience, grabbed my phone and we took this selfie!

When Julianne asked for an audience volunteer, guess who went up there! My Dad!

It was one of the best days!

It was a prefect day!

In 2019, Derek announced he was going to go on a solo tour this time, and considering I was about to graduate college, I wanted to reward myself and buy Front Row Seats again to his show in Boston!

The best part about having VIP tickets is that you get to know him a little bit. I asked Derek a question during this Q&A session, I said, Derek I’m about to graduate from college, what is something you wish you knew when you were my age?

I honestly live by what he said every single day.

Derek said, You are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with negative people, you’ll be negative. But, if you surround yourself with people who work hard, and think positive, then you will be that way too.

I admire Derek not only because he is so handsome, but because he has worked hard, and never given up on what he wanted, even though it is challenging.

I hope someday people will look up to me like I look up to him.

I had tickets to see Derek in June of 2020 at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, but that show got cancelled because of COVID, so I really can not wait to see him at the Venetian in November!

I am so thankful for all of these experiences and shows I’ve seen Derek in, his passion and determination is unmatched!

A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough

Derek Hough Live! The Tour!

May 15, 2019 elizabethjoyhadley

Now, hopefully you already know about my obsession for Derek Hough, because if you don’t that would make this blog post less dramatic.

So, let’s assume you do. You know all about how I became obsessed with Derek Hough in 11th grade, and ow I have been to every one of his tours including his show at the Radio City Music Hall, and I have even met him 6 times.

On April 23rd, my love for him and his talents was expressed again, as I attended Derek Hough Live!! The Tour! Now, let me tell you, this was my 7th time seeing Derek, and truly each time they get better.

Derek Hough is magic. His show was funny, his show was beautiful, his show was moving, his show was magical. I wasn’t Elizabeth Hadley the stressed out senior in college with zero free time. I was just Elizabeth, happy and free.

I was so close I could see how his emotions changed with each dance!

The way that Derek can transition from tap to contemporary to salsa to hip hop to the tango in minutes is amazing. He is one of the most talented people to walk this earth, who is actually really genuine and humble.

The thing that gets me about Derek the most is that he never takes his success for granted. He even said so himself. He said, every night I come up on stage and I always feel like I have to earn it. I have to earn that I get to do this every single night, and I love doing it. Derek was born to be on stage, and how lucky is he that he gets to do what he was put on this earth to do.

I got to meet Derek before hand, and this was my sixth time meeting him. He is just such a beautiful soul.

I asked him what he wishes he knew when he was 22 like I am.

He said, well, I wish I knew that you don’t have to have your life figured out when you are 22. I also wish that I knew that you are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with people who are hard working and nice, you will want to be like them. I love that he said that, and it was such a nice thing to say to me.

The best part of Derek’s show was the backup dancers. WOW! They are talented! They seemed so grateful and happy that they got to be up on that stage and performing alongside such a talented dancer like Derek. But, they are just as talented!

The message of Derek’s show was simple. You. Are. Enough. Just. As. You. Are.

So, in case you needed to hear that today, there you go. You are enough, and you always have been and always will be enough. Just as you are. Never doubt that you aren’t.