Stephen Laurel "tWitch" Boss (September 29, 1982December 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 May 2022, he was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a repeated guest host and he was also a co-executive producer of the program. He was featured in Ellen's Game of Games as a co-host 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.
Beginning on 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's daytime talk show.
Boss was cast as Marcel X in the 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.
So You Think You Can Dance
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 contestant 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 appeared again 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 eleven "All-Stars" in season 7. He was an 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 contestant Alex Wong, which was reprised by 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.
Boss and Allison Holker, his wife, had an apparel line of athleisure named "DSG x tWitch + Allison Collection" which was sold by Dick's Sporting Goods.
Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings
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 is a behind-the-scenes program featuring 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 Boss and 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.
Personal life
On December 10, 2013, Boss and fellow SYTYCD alum Allison Holker married at Nigel Lythgoe's Villa San Juliette Vineyard and Winery in Paso Robles, California.Stephen "tWitch" Boss Marries Allison Holker: See Their Wedding Photo! by Allison Takeda in US Weekly published December 11, 2013 Boss and Holker had two children.
Death On December 13, 2022, Boss was found dead in Encino, California. His death was ruled a suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 40 years old.
Boss' remains were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes2007 Blades of Glory Flamboyant Dancer Uncredited Hairspray Maybelle's Store Dancer 2010 Stomp the Yard: Homecoming Taz Step Up 3D Jason Hardlerson 2012 Step Up Revolution 2014 Step Up: All In 2015 Magic Mike XXL Malik 2022 The Hip Hop Nutcracker Dad Disney+ release; final role
Television Year Title RoleNotes2008 So You Think You Can Dance Runner-up 2010 Bones Russell Leonard 2011 So You Think You Can Dance All Star Touch The Beastmaster 2012 So You Think You Can Dance All Star Drop Dead Diva Billy Donaldson TV series, Season 6 episode 2: "Soulmates" 2013 So You Think You Can Dance All Star Dancing with the Stars 2014–2022 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Show DJ/Host 2015 Bound & Babysitting Ethan TV film So You Think You Can Dance Team Captain-Team Street 2017–2021 Ellen's Game of Games Announcer 2017–2020 Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings 2018 Modern Family Sho 'Nuff Episode: "Wine Weekend" Young & Hungry Himself 2018 So You Think You Can Dance Judge 2021 Clash of the Cover Bands Host 2022 The Real Dirty Dancing Host So You Think You Can Dance Judge Play-Doh SquishedJudgeEpisode: "Space"
Web series
Year Title RoleNotes2010 The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers LXD Trainer Season 2, Episode 1 Teacher, Student Season 2, Episode 2 2011 The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers: The Secrets of the Ra Dr. E 2016 Love Doobie Episode 6
Awards Runner-up, Star Search, 2003 3rd Place, MTV's The Wade Robson Project, 2003 Runner-up, Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance, 2008
References
External links
Interview with tWitch on Fox 11 Stephen Boss on Find a Grave