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LDS Olympian Torah Bright bullied on Dancing With The Stars

By Liam Burke - | Oct 29, 2014
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Olympic Gold medalist Torah Bright is back in her native Australia tearing it up, not on the snow slopes, but competing on Australian television.

Bright, 27, is currently appearing on Series 14 of Dancing With The Stars with professional dancer Robbie Kmetoni.

But one of the judges, Todd McKenney, who is notoriously mean, was scathing to her and Kmetoni and awarded them 1 point for their Foxtrot.

“There was a point where it (McKenney’s comments) became — I would call it a little bit of bullying,” Bright told Australian news.com.au.

“That is Todd’s TV personality but there was a point where I felt it went a little bit too far,” she said. “There wasn’t enough Foxtrot and when it was done it was average,” Bright recalls McKenney saying.

“But then it kept going and it felt like a personal attack on Robbie. It is a family show. Let’s keep it a family show,” Bright said.

“Robbie held himself with grace up there and took it like a man and I was so proud of him. It was a little bit uncalled for.”

Regardless, the couple made it through the difficult round.

To keep @TorahBright dancing, make sure you vote! http://t.co/sEwRufszxA #DancingAU pic.twitter.com/CitkEXGXlX

— Official DWTS AU (@DancingAU) October 29, 2014

Perhaps it’s a combination of Bright’s faith and resilience as an athlete that has gotten her thus far in the competition. “I’m used to being judged. Sometimes I don’t know what the judges are talking about so I just brush it off,” she also said. Or in this case Samba it off!

Torah & Robbie dancing the Samba by KymJohnsonSite

The following week Bright and Kmetoni wowed the judges and earned the top score of the night, keeping them back in the competition for now. 

All in the name of glitz and glamour @dancingau #DWTSau pic.twitter.com/YIl8k07oub

— Torah Bright (@TorahBright) October 14, 2014

The Salt Lake City resident was born in Cooma, Australia, a town also known as the ‘Gateway to the Snowy Mountains.’

It’s no wonder she took up snowboarding at the age of two and had mastered some impressive moves aged 15.

#tbt 15 years old and learning the mcTwist. Thanks to @scottylago & father for teaching me this one! It’s a favorite! pic.twitter.com/RdZuBR3TKB

— Torah Bright (@TorahBright) October 23, 2014

Torah was raised in the LDS Church and remembers when her family was nearly the sum total of the membership of the Cooma Branch, Canberra Australia Stake, she told Church News.

Her parents – Peter and Marion Bright – joined the Church after their first two children were born and Sister Bright said, “I was praying to know if there was anything I should be teaching my children for their spiritual growth.”

She and her husband were introduced by business acquaintances to the Church, of which they had never heard before, Church News also said

The Brights named her ”Torah” after her sister Rowena learned from her Jewish piano teacher that the name referred to the Jewish name for the Five books of Moses and meant “bearer of a great spiritual message.” She suggested the name for her new sister, according to Church News.

One thing’s for sure is she’s made new fans in the Entertainment arena from literally flying across the DWTS stage.

Physical fitness must come very easily for Bright who stands at 5 ft 3 inches as she confessed in a recent interview, “She didn’t even train for the pipe in the two-month lead up to the Winter Olympics,” according to the Guardian

I’m not sure if it’s just me but is @TorahBright the muscle of her and @RobbieKmetoni #DancingAU

— Elizabeth Whitby (@ElizabethWhitb1) October 29, 2014

While Bright is still in the DWTS competition this week there’ll be plenty of fans in Utah glad to see her on the slopes this winter.

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