Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers. Already have an account? Login
Forgot your password?
Get back to the Sign In
Reset your password
May 23, 2024
Allison Holker could feel the presence of her late husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, while serving as a judge on season 18 of So You Think You Can Dance.
“I just feel like every single day, — [on the] show and not [on the] show — I just feel him putting wings on my back,” Holker, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, May 22. “I just feel so much support from him, and I’m really grateful for that because I think some people might see that kind of energy and be a little bit scared of it. But it’s so beautiful and I feel like he protects me day in and day out.”
Holker met Boss, who died by suicide at age 40 in 2022, when they were both contestants on season 7 of SYTYCD in 2010. They tied the knot in 2013 and went on to welcome son Maddox, 8, and daughter Zaia, 4. Boss also adopted Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship, Weslie, 15.
Holker told Us that returning to SYTYCD as a judge for season 18 felt “like a full circle moment” for her.
“It feels like this show is the gift that keeps on giving to me. It seems to reach out to me and find me in moments that I didn’t even know I needed it. It found me when I was 18 years old. I was still in high school. I had bad eyebrows,” she said. “It gave me love, it gave me opportunity, it gave me career, it gave me friendships and it gave me kids, so the show has just been everything to me. And even becoming a judge now, it did the same thing. It reached out to me at a time when I was really scared to get back into work.”
Holker added that the experience made her feel like she was honoring Boss, who served as a SYTYCD judge during seasons 15 and 17.
“Every time I was on the show, seeing the other dancers [and] hearing people’s stories, I just knew I’m where I’m supposed to be in honor of myself and my personal journey, but also his journey and his personal journey and the journey that brought us together,” she said. “It feels like this is the space I’m supposed to be in and I know he’s with me every single day.”
Holker threw a season 18 finale party at Jax’s Studio City after Anthony Curley was crowned the winner on Monday, May 20.
“Anthony is wonderful. Stephen would have absolutely adored Anthony,” she told Us.
Keep scrolling to see exclusive photos from Holker’s SYTYCD season 18 finale party:
Credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Allison Holker Felt ‘So Much Support’ From Late Husband Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss During Season 18 of ‘SYTYCD’
Allison Holker could feel the presence of her late husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, while serving as a judge on season 18 of So You Think You Can Dance. “I just feel like every single day, — [on the] show and not [on the] show — I just feel him putting wings on my back,” Holker, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, May 22. “I just feel so much support from him, and I’m really grateful for that because I think some people might see that kind of energy and be a little bit scared of it. But it’s so beautiful and I feel like he protects me day in and day out.” Holker met Boss, who died by suicide at age 40 in 2022, when they were both contestants on season 7 of SYTYCD in 2010. They tied the knot in 2013 and went on to welcome son Maddox, 8, and daughter Zaia, 4. Boss also adopted Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship, Weslie, 15. Holker told Us that returning to SYTYCD as a judge for season 18 felt “like a full circle moment” for her. “It feels like this show is the gift that keeps on giving to me. It seems to reach out to me and find me in moments that I didn’t even know I needed it. It found me when I was 18 years old. I was still in high school. I had bad eyebrows,” she said. “It gave me love, it gave me opportunity, it gave me career, it gave me friendships and it gave me kids, so the show has just been everything to me. And even becoming a judge now, it did the same thing. It reached out to me at a time when I was really scared to get back into work.” Holker added that the experience made her feel like she was honoring Boss, who served as a SYTYCD judge during seasons 15 and 17. “Every time I was on the show, seeing the other dancers [and] hearing people’s stories, I just knew I’m where I’m supposed to be in honor of myself and my personal journey, but also his journey and his personal journey and the journey that brought us together,” she said. “It feels like this is the space I’m supposed to be in and I know he’s with me every single day.” Holker threw a season 18 finale party at Jax’s Studio City after Anthony Curley was crowned the winner on Monday, May 20. “Anthony is wonderful. Stephen would have absolutely adored Anthony,” she told Us. Keep scrolling to see exclusive photos from Holker’s SYTYCD season 18 finale party:
Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Tight Bonds
Holker’s fellow SYTYCD judge Maks Chmerkovskiy attended the gathering with his wife, Peta Murgatroyd, who is currently pregnant with their 3rd baby. The couple also share sons Shai, 7, and Rio, 23 months.
“I think the most memorable thing for me was getting to have this incredible relationship with Maks and JoJo [Siwa], sitting at the panel with them,” Holker told Us. “Maks kind of became like my older brother.”
Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Celebrating in Style
Dressed in a sparkly brown pantsuit, Holker snapped a photo with Dancing With the Stars pro Sasha Farber. Farber, 40, donned a cardigan sweater over a white tank top and dark jeans for the occasion.
Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Moving With Gratitude
As Holker navigates life after her husband’s death, she told Us that she tries to be grateful even during the moments when she feels “low or discouraged.”
“Life is so beautiful and there’s so much to do and experience and you can’t have all the beautiful without also having a negative side of life. The people that live the most vibrant lives have experienced so much pain,” she explained. “So as much as I’ve experienced, I try my best to look at it as a gratitude [that] I’ve been able to live so much.”
Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
The Next Generation
At the finale party, Holker hung out with three of the SYTYCD season 18 top 10 contestants: Braylon Browner, Easton Magliarditi and Olivia Oher. As her own kids get closer to the age of many SYTYCD contestants, Holker has given some thought to whether they’d want to do the show.
“Weslie would never, Weslie absolutely would never, ever, ever,” she said, adding that she could “absolutely see Maddox” giving it a go. “[He’s] an absolute performer, he loves the attention of the audience, he loves getting on stage, he loves people looking at him.”
Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Last Season’s Champ
Season 17 winner Alexis Warr attended Holker’s finale party dressed in a denim strapless jumpsuit.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
US MAGAZINE
