- Derek Hough said having a wheelchair user compete on "Dancing With the Stars" would be "wonderful."
- He told Insider he likes "stepping into the unknown" of adaptive dancing.
"Dancing With the Stars" $4 he thinks it would be "wonderful" to have a wheelchair user on a future season of "Dancing With the Stars."
The choreographer recently posted a video on Instagram performing with $4 and reflected on his experience $4.
"You can do amazing, amazing works of art, amazing pieces, amazing dancing using the apparatus," he said in an interview promoting his new partnership with Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards from Chase for its $4. "The possibilities are endless. Honestly."
Hough, who was a professional dancer and choreographer on "Dancing With the Stars" he became a judge, recalled how much he loved "stepping into the unknown" of choreographing routines for his season 18 celebrity partner Paralympian snowboarder Amy Purdy, who is a double amputee. In a 2018 video $4, they explained that they'd often come up with choreography together rather than him "teaching" her a dance, which is more commonly what happens with pros and their celebrity dance partners on the reality competition series.
He said that even though he doesn't consider himself "familiar" with adaptive dancing, he's "intrigued" and "curious" about what the show could do with it if a wheelchair user were to compete one day.
Hough added that dancing with Purdy taught him how to "innovate" routines more because there was "no rule book" they could refer to on how to be the best partners for each other.
As for the most impactful lesson he's learned from one of his celebrity partners? That honor once again goes to Purdy.
He said that she taught him that when we face difficulties in life, instead of asking "Why is this happening to me?" we should ask "Why is this happening for me?"
"It just changes your perspective in moments of difficulty and challenges and things that we called problems, where it's like, where's the gift? Where's the gift in this challenge? Where's the gift in this problem? Where's the gift in this moment?" he said.
Chase and Southwest's $4 launched on October 5, which was World Teacher's Day, and runs through November 9. During the month-long campaign, you can nominate a teacher, principal, or school counselor who $4 to win what Hough described to Insider as an "edu-vacation" to one of five destinations in the US. Three teachers will be chosen as winners.
"Teachers, especially now, especially the past couple years, have been absolute superheroes and have been really just stepping up for this country," he said.
"Dancing With the Stars" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.