Derek Hough Reveals Childhood Bullying, Including Gun Threats, at Age 12 Dance Turning Point
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 27
Derek Hough Reveals Childhood Bullying, Including Gun Threats, at Age 12 Dance Turning Point
7 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 27
Derek Hough said on a new podcast that childhood bullies beat him, hung him from a tree by his ankles and once put a gun to his head, leaving him with night terrors.
The "Dancing with the Stars" alum said he struggled to fit in as a scrawny, awkward kid and that being a dancer made him a bigger target; one school fight ended with his expulsion.
At 12, Hough moved to London to train under Corky and Shirley Ballas, a shift he said finally made him feel safe and gave him a clear goal.
Hough had already raised the issue in an October Instagram post tied to a children's hospital mental health fundraiser, urging people to confront bullying and online abuse as he prepares for fatherhood.
How can disciplined arts like dance physically help a brain recover from the deep trauma of childhood abuse?
At what point does childhood bullying become criminal assault, and why are perpetrators rarely held accountable?