“Dancing with the Stars” judge and Emmy-winning choreographer Derek Hough speaks candidly about the severe bullying and abuse he says he suffered as a child, revealing that the experiences left him living in fear and suffering from night terrors.
During a recent appearance on The Bossicks podcast, Hough, 41, described what she called much more than just childhood bullying. Recalling his upbringing in the Salt Lake City area, he said the neighborhood kids would torment him because he was different and had a passion for dance.
“Bullying is too nice a word,” Hough said. “They would hang me from a tree by my ankles, put a gun to my head and spit on me or tie me up in the field.”
The abuse had lasting emotional consequences. Hough revealed that he experienced severe anxiety as a child, saying: “I was afraid. I had night terrors and wet the bed.” He added: “I was a scared child, I was a terrified child. Scared of the dark, scared of my shadow, just scared and constantly nervous.”
According to Hough, the torment extended beyond his neighborhood and into the school. He described himself as an awkward child who struggled to fit in socially and said his interest in dance often made him a target.
“I was always on the outside, trying to fit in,” he recalled. “Being a dancer didn’t help. I’d get beat up.”
Hough recounted an incident in which another student punched him in the face. After fighting back, he said he was expelled from school. He also described being attacked by a group of boys after a girl expressed interest in him when they were around 10 or 11 years old.
The dancer said his life changed dramatically when he moved to London at age 12 to train with professional dance teachers. What was initially intended as a short stay turned into a decade-long period of intensive dance training.
“It was like I had clarity, and clarity is power,” Hough said, explaining that for the first time he felt confident and focused on a clear goal.
Biographical records confirm that Hough moved to London as a preteen to study dance at the Italia Conti Academy and train with renowned dance coaches Corky and Shirley Ballas, a move that would eventually launch her professional career.
Reflecting on her journey, Hough said seeing dance become more respected has special meaning because of the ridicule she experienced growing up. He credited the television show “Dancing with the Stars” for helping raise the public perception of dancers.
According to Hough, dance is increasingly recognized as a legitimate athletic and artistic discipline, rather than something to be mocked.
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