Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the longtime, beloved dancing DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and a former contestant on So You Think You Can Dance, has died. He was 40.
His wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed his death in a statement to People.com.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said.
“Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”
The statement did not include any detail on the cause of his death.
DeGeneres issued a statement on Twitter, alongside a photo of her embracing Boss backstage.
“I’m heartbroken,” the host wrote. “tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children – Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”
Celebrities including Questlove and Kerry Washington also posted on social media.
“I have no words man. May his family find resolution in this dark time. May we all find peace of mind in our everyday lives. Everyday is a winding road and you just may never know who is on the edge,” Questlove wrote on Instagram.
On the same platform, Washington wrote: “Twitch brought joy and love to people all over the world through music and through dance. My heart is heavy today for his family and all of those who knew and loved him.”
Boss started at the Ellen show in 2014 and was promoted to co-executive producer in 2020. The show ended earlier this year. Boss also placed as a runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance.
The dancer-DJ also appeared in films like Step Up: All In and Magic Mike XXL. His love of dancing permeated all aspects of his life as he aspired to emulate greats like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.
“My personal opinion: the greatest of all time had to be Gene Kelly, man. Gene Kelly, because he’s a guy’s guy. I love Fred Astaire, but Fred Astaire was so smooth, and it was great. He was so classy,” Boss told the Associated Press in 2014.
“But Gene Kelly – he could be like somebody’s dad, who just decided to get up off the couch and dance around and clean the kitchen up.”
Boss posted dance videos on TikTok with his wife, who is also a professional dancer, with their children making guest appearances.
Boss’s death was first reported by TMZ.
