Derek Hough Is Leaving Dancing with the Stars for Jennifer Lopez's NBC Dance Show

Derek Hough is leaving Dancing With the Stars, because when Jennifer Lopez requests your presence, you don't say no.

The longtime Dancing instructor will be joining J.Lo's upcoming NBC dance competition World of Dance as a judge, along with R&B singer and dancer Ne-Yo.

Hough, in his blog for TVGuide.com earlier this month, hinted that he had some other projects in the pipeline and didn't know if he would be back for Dancing's 24th season. Now it's official -- he'll be with J.Lo and Ne-Yo at the judges' table when World of Dance premieres next year.

"Jennifer, Derek and Ne-Yo are three of the most accomplished dancers of their generation, and their incredible insight from the judges' table will be both inspiring and wholly constructive to the world-class level of dancers who are competing on the show," Universal Television Alternative Studio President Meredith Ahr said in a statement. "We feel so very honored that the three of them are giving back to the dance community in this way."

Hough will next be seen in NBC's musical Hairspray Live! on Dec. 7.

While Ne-Yo has been making hit songs for over a decade, he got to really show off his dance chops as the Tin Man in last year's The Wiz Live!

World of Dance is a dance competition show where three age divisions of dancers duke it out until only one act, solo or group, is left in each division. Then the top three will compete against each other for a million-dollar prize and the title of "Best In the World."

Lopez started her career as a backup dancer on the sketch comedy show In Living Color. Before World of Dance, she was a judge on American Idol.

Are you sad that Derek's leaving Dancing but excited about what comes next?