Allison Holker is still healing after the death of her husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss — with the help of dance.
Holker, 35, shared the first video of herself dancing in the wake of her loss, teaming up with choreographer Brittany Perry-Russell for a hip-hop routine. “Truly felt so good to dance again,” she captioned an Instagram video shared on Saturday, August 26.
The duo performed to Missy Elliott‘s 2003 hit “Bomb Intro / Pass That Dutch,” nailing body rolls, fancy footwork and more. Holker gave the camera a big smile as she moved.
“I was overwhelmed with so many emotions,” she wrote. “I was both scared and excited. But dance has always been there for me… even now and I am so grateful for that. And thank you @bperryrussell for making it so fun and making me feel safe!”
Fans and famous friends celebrated Holker’s return to dance in the comments section. “You don’t know how emotional I am watching this. VERY proud of you. There is joy there…keep striving for it friend. ❤️,” journalist Nischelle Turner wrote.
Fellow Dancing With the Stars pro Peta Murgatroyd added, “Love to see it! ❤️❤️❤️,” while Fame icon Debbie Allen left six heart emojis on the post.
Perry-Russell, 41, told Holker, “Love you and proud of you🤍.”
While Holker has been active on social media in the months since her husband’s death, she had yet to share any footage of herself performing. The couple frequently danced together for their online audience, collaborating for a holiday-inspired routine days before Boss passed away.
Us Weekly confirmed in December 2022 that Boss was found dead at a Los Angeles hotel. He was 40 years old. (The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later confirmed that Boss died by suicide.)
“Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. … To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” Holker said in her first statement addressing the news. “I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory. … Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”
The twosome, both of whom rose to fame on So You Think You Can Dance as contestants and returned as all-stars, tied the knot in 2013. They welcomed son Maddox in 2016 and daughter Zaia in 2019. Boss adopted Holker’s eldest daughter, Weslie, whom she welcomed with an ex in 2008.
Holker has been candid about the process of grieving in the public eye, sitting down for her first televised interview about her loss in May. “I still feel like the rest of the world where I’m still shocked,” she noted on the Today show. “No one’s ready for that moment and there’s no one that saw this coming. No one — and that breaks my heart too.”
At the time, Holker said she felt “so sad” that Boss didn’t feel like he could “ask for help” from their friends and family. “There’s been some really hard conversations [with our kids],” she added. “To us, Daddy’s in the stars. So, we can go outside and talk to him whenever we want. … They just ask, ‘When is Daddy coming back?’ and that’s a really hard one.”
One month later, Holker honored Boss by sharing a black-and-white family photo on Father’s Day. “We love you Stephen forever and always,” she wrote via Instagram.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
