Dance brought together former “So You Think You Can Dance” contestants Allison Holker and Stephen “Twitch” Boss in 2010. More than a decade later and nearly a year after her husband’s death, Holker said dance will also help her deal with grief.
Holker continued mourning the loss of her husband over the weekend on Instagram, where she wrote, “grief never ends … but every season of challenge has an expiration date.” The “SYTYCD” alumna and choreographer shared two portraits of herself in makeup, wearing a burgundy dress, strappy heels and an orange patterned coat.
“Keep believing and keep dancing through,” she added, referring to the book she and Boss co-authored.
Holker announced the death of her husband on Dec. 14, 2022, just days after they shared a cheery holiday dance video.
“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,” she said in a statement at the time. She added that she “will always save the last dance for” him.
Boss, who was born Sept. 29, 1982, was best known for his time as a competitor on the Fox reality competition series where he met his wife and as a DJ and executive producer on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
The beloved TV personality died by suicide on Dec. 13, 2022. He was 40. Boss was laid to rest in February in a private Los Angeles celebration of life attended by Holker, DeGeneres, Wayne Brady, Debbie Allen and more.
Holker shared three children with her late husband and has been vocal on social media about her love for him and the challenges of processing his death.
“We are enduring some thing I could’ve never imagined, but we are pushing forward together every day,” she wrote in a Mother’s Day Instagram post.
In recent months, Holker has returned to dancing and sharing her moves with fans. Actor-choreographer Brittany Perry-Russell helped her get back into the groove and, in August, Holker said it “truly felt so good to dance again.”
“I was overwhelmed with so many emotions. I was both scared and excited. But dance has always been there for me … even now and I am so grateful for that,” she said at the time.
Holker and Boss’ mother, Connie Boss Alexander, celebrated the TV star’s first “Heavenly birthday” in September. The dancer and her children — 15-year-old Weslie, 7-year-old Maddox and 4-year-old Zaia — gathered at Boss’ burial site and placed flowers at his bronze grave marker.
“Forever on our hearts and minds carrying us, guiding us and lifting us,” Holker captioned her Instagram photos. “We feel your presence every day and will forever be grateful for the beautiful times we shared together.”
Grief may never go away for Holker, but her Instagram followers, including “Selling Sunset” star Chrishell Stause , told her it will get easier. Commenting on Holker’s post, Stause wrote: “Grief is love and it never ends but it will shape shift to new happier seasons.”
Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
