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!
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!
I still wear this shirt!
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!
I look so young!
He signed my book! Also, if you haven’t read Derek’s book, you totally should!
I’ve read this book 3 times!
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!
Selfie outside Radio City Music Hall!
He even signed my phone case!
I still have this phone case somewhere!
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!
Concert shirt!
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!Classic!
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.
YES, of course I’ll marry you Derek!
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!
SELFIE!
When Julianne asked for an audience volunteer, guess who went up there! My Dad!
My Dad dancing with Julianne on stage!
It was one of the best days!
I can’t believe I took this photo!
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!
I was this close to the stage!I love this picture!
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!
Elizabeth Joy Hadley 