| Stephen "tWitch" Boss | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Stephen Laurel Boss |
| Born: | September 29, 1982 |
| Birth Hometown: | Montgomery, Alabama |
| Died: | December 13, 2022 |
| Place of death: | Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation: | Dancer Choreographer Actor Television producer Television personality |
| Years active: | 2002-2022 |
Stephen Laurel "tWitch" Boss (September 29, 1982 – December 13, 2022) was an American freestyle hip hop dancer, choreographer, actor, television producer, and television personality. In 2008, he finished in second place on the American version of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). From 2014 to 2022, he was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a co-host and he was also a co-executive producer of the program. He was featured in Ellen's Game of Games as a sidekick to DeGeneres. Between 2018 and 2020 he and his wife, Allison Holker, hosted Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings on Freeform and Disney+.
Early life[]
Boss was born on September 29, 1982 to Connie Boss Alexander and Sandford Rose in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated from Lee High School in 2000 and studied dance performance at Southern Union State Community College in Wadley, Alabama, and Chapman University.
Career[]
In 2003, Boss was a semifinalist on MTV's The Wade Robson Project and a runner-up on the television talent competition Star Search. He choreographed routines for South Korean pop/R&B singer Seven and helped train other YG Entertainment artists including Big Bang. In 2007, he was an uncredited "flamboyant dancer" in Blades of Glory and a Maybelle's Store Dancer in Hairspray.
After competing in So You Think You Can Dance, he taught dancing at South County Classical Ballet with fellow finalist Katee Shean. On April 30, 2013, he and Allison Holker performed a dance routine on Dancing with the Stars. They danced to "Crystallize" which was performed live by Lindsey Stirling.
Since April 1, 2014, Boss was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a guest DJ. In October 2014, he announced that he had been cast in Magic Mike XXL. On August 17, 2020, he became a co-executive producer of Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show.
Boss was cast as Marcel X in the upcoming superhero movie Perfectus and later he had a feature role in the movie Ushers. He was a member of the dance troupes "Breed OCLA" and "Chill Factor Crew.
Boss first auditioned in 2007 for Season 3 of the show and appeared on the program but was not selected to be in the Top 20. He returned to audition again in Season 4 in 2008; he was selected to compete in the Top 20 and finished the competition as runner-up to fellow hip-hop dancer Joshua Allen. During Season 4 he danced with Katee Shean to a Contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels. The dance was nominated for an Emmy for Choreography in the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.
In season 5, Boss again appeared on So You Think You Can Dance with fellow season 4 contestant Katee Shean to perform their Emmy-nominated piece "Mercy," choreographed by Mia Michaels. He was one of the 11 "All-Stars" for season 7. He often was a All-Star in Seasons 7, 8, and 9 of So You Think You Can Dance, performing memorable routines including the hip hop number "Outta Your Mind" with ballet dancer Alex Wong, which was reprised by comedian Ellen DeGeneres in Season 7's finale. He was the team captain for "Team Street" in Season 12 of So You Think You Can Dance. He was announced as a permanent judge for the seventeenth season in 2022.
Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings is a documentary television series featuring couples and their Disney-themed weddings, airing on Disney's Freeform network and the Disney+ streaming service. The show provides a behind-the-scenes look at the weddings and engagements of couples at Disney destinations including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and at Aulani in Hawaii. On October 17, 2017, Freeform announced the production of a seven-episode series to be released in the summer of 2018; it was hosted by tWitch and his wife, Allison Holker. In November 2017, Freeform added a December 11, 2017, hour-long special, "Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Holiday Magic" as a part of its "25 Days of Christmas" event. Season 2 premiered on Disney+ on February 14, 2020.
In 2022; Boss was the host of The Real Dirty Dancing an American adaptation of an Australian reality competition series which in turn was loosely based on the classic 1987 film Dirty Dancing where eight celebrities fully immerse themselves in the ultimate Dirty Dancing experience by partnering and attempt to re-create classic scenes.
Personal life[]
On December 10, 2013, Boss and fellow SYTYCD alum Allison Holker were married at Nigel Lythgoe's Villa San Juliette Vineyard and Winery in Paso Robles, California. He also adopted Holker's daughter. Their son was born in March 2016, and their daughter was born in November 2019.
The couple had an apparel line of athleisure named "DSG x tWitch + Allison Collection" sold by Dick's Sporting Goods.
Death[]
On December 13, 2022, Boss' wife, Allison Holker, informed officials at the Los Angeles Police Department that he had left their home without taking his car, which was unusual behavior. Police received a call about a shooting at the Oak Tree Inn in Encino, Los Angeles, where Boss was found dead after failing to check out of the hotel. His death was ruled a suicide. He was 40 years old.