4 months after emergency craniectomy, Hayley Erbert makes emotional return to dancing with husband Derek Hough

A few months after being diagnosed with a cranial hematoma and undergoing an emergency surgery to remove a part of her skull, Hayley Erbert has rejoined her husband, “Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough, on the couple’s Symphony of Dance Tour.

“What a blessing (and surprise) it is to be able to be back on stage dancing with my love after such a crazy past four months,” Erbert shared in a recent Instagram post. “My healing journey has been nothing short of extraordinary and being able to dance again is igniting my soul in all the ways; speeding up my recovery even more.”

The tour kicked off April 14, and saw Erbert emotional as she received a standing ovation at the end of the opening show, Entertainment Tonight reported. A TikTok video shows Erbert wiping away tears as her fellow dancers step back and let her take in the moment at the front of the stage.

Here’s a look at Erbert’s recovery process — and what to expect from the tour, which makes a stop at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City on May 15.

Hayley Erbert will join Derek Hough on Symphony of Dance tour

Erbert and Hough, who married last August, have regularly updated fans in the months since Erbert “became disoriented” during a December tour stop and was rushed to the hospital.

Since Erbert’s cranial hematoma diagnosis, there have been surgeries, holiday celebrations, an Emmy win and an up-and-down recovery process that is ongoing.

“It’s been wild — I mean, going from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows,” Hough said in a video posted in February, sitting alongside Erbert. “But I had to say, throughout this experience, this woman has been unbelievable, and her perseverance and her acceptance of the whole situation, her strength, it’s been remarkable to witness firsthand. She really is a miracle, and it’s been miraculous — and it’s still a journey.”

“To this day, I still have really good days and I have really bad days, emotionally and physically sometimes.” Erbert added, per Deseret News. “But I’m doing so much better every single day, like truly there is so much progress every day, and I’m so grateful for that.”

Now, a couple of months later, Erbert is grateful to be back on the road.

“I am so appreciative of the doctors who have supported me in my decision to dance again and my team of specialists that have been assembled to assure that my health and safety is priority,” Erbert shared in a recent Instagram post. “I cannot wait for you all to see this show! It was so meaningful when we opened last year and now, after everything that has happened, it is truly even more special.”

About the Symphony of Dance tour

The Symphony of Dance tour had a few more weeks left when it got put on hold last December.

The string of rescheduled and new dates has a limited run from April 14 through May 19, according to Hough’s official website. New shows include a return to the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Hough grew up and first developed a passion for dance, the Deseret News previously reported.

The tour covers everything from ballroom and tap to salsa and hip-hop, per Hough’s website, and has also included a choreographed version of the couple’s wedding dance.

“Every time we rehearse it, I cry,” Hough previously told USA Today ahead of the tour. “If we get over-frazzled, we take a moment where we just look into each other’s eyes and say, ‘I love you.’ When I hear those words, it’s like juice; I feel unstoppable.”