CNN –
Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the amiable “Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ and dancer who rose to fame on “So You Think You Can Dance,” has died, his wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker, has confirmed Boss, in a statement to CNN.
He was 40 years old.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share that my husband Stephen has left us,” Holker Boss said in a statement. “Stephen lit up every room he walked 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.”
“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” he added. “I’m sure not a day will go by that we don’t honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for me and especially our three children.”
No further information was released on the cause of his death.
CNN has reached out to the LAPD and the LA County Coroner for comment.
Holker Boss concluded his statement by saying, “Stephen, we love you, we miss you and I will always save the last dance for you.”
The couple celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary just a few days ago.
He was mourned on social media on Wednesday by many who shared videos of him dancing and their memories.
“A kind soul and a sweet person..this is how I will remember Twitch..This was her 40th birthday party..my heart goes out to her family especially Allison and her beautiful children…. this is devastating… I love you bro and I will miss you so much,” tweeted daytime TV host and comedian Loni Love.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Boss earned his nickname as a child when he couldn’t sit still.
She graduated from Lee High School in Montgomery in 2000 and studied Dance Performance at Southern Union State Community College and Chapman University.
Six years ago he spoke to author and ex-footballer Lewis Howes for the latter’s podcast and talked about his background, including being raised by a single mother and how his relationship with his absentee father helped shape it.
“I’ve always been a ‘Don’t tell me what I’m not going to do,'” Boss said. “I remember talking to [his father] outside of his job in the parking lot and said, “Hey, I’m joining the dance team.” I’m going to need some shows and money to get supplies’ and he went on this tangent… I was like, ‘Oh, that means I’m supposed to be doing this.'”
In 2003, Boss was a semi-finalist on MTV’s ‘The Wade Robson Project’ and was also a runner-up on the television talent competition, ‘Star Search’.
Becoming a finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2008 marked the beginning of her rise to fame and she would later return as a judge on the dance competition.
Elle DeGeneres brought him on board as a DJ on her popular daytime talk show in 2014, a job he held until the show went off the air this year. Boss was also a co-executive producer on the show.
He kept in touch with fans through his popular social media accounts, often sharing videos of him dancing with his wife.
The couple were star dancers on Season 7 of “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2010 and were romantically linked.
“We shared a dance at the finale of that season of ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ and we’ve been together ever since,” Boss told People in February.
“There was no dialogue, there was no conversation, not even a first meeting. We literally danced and were together holding hands the next day,” Holker Boss added. “And we never looked back.”
The couple are parents of three children. Boss’ final Instagram post on Monday showed him and Holker Boss dancing in front of a Christmas tree.