Family confirms Sept. 30 death at 36; friends remember his raw talent, candid spirit and complex legacy as tributes pour in.
Joshua Allen, winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 4, has died. He was 36.
Allen’s family told TMZ that he died on Sept. 30, and asked for privacy and prayers; they did not disclose a cause. The news shocked friends across the dance community, many of whom remembered Allen for his honesty, raw talent and larger-than-life personality.
A close friend and fellow dancer, Emmanuel Hurd, told TMZ he was stunned by the news and described Allen as “a very honest, real person” who would readily acknowledge his own flaws. “He didn’t always do things the way that everybody thought he should, but that’s why he was a winner,” Hurd said, reflecting on the determination and individuality that carried Allen to national prominence.
Allen rose to fame in 2008 when he won Season 4 of the Fox competition So You Think You Can Dance. His runner-up that season was the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss; the two formed a friendship that endured after the show.
Allen’s win marked him as one of the defining personalities of that era’s reality-dance television boom, noted for a charismatic performance style that blended raw street sensibilities with a rapidly growing technical skill set.
In interviews following his victory, Allen said he had little formal dance training as a child, instead piecing together experience through summer classes and intensive training after he advanced on SYTYCD.
He spoke openly about ambitious goals beyond the stage: recording music, choreographing, owning a studio and company, and eventually launching a record label and producing other artists.
Allen’s career and public image were not without controversy. In 2016 he was charged with domestic violence in Los Angeles; according to Deadline at the time, he received a year in jail and probation in 2017 after the case moved through the courts.
The incident was a difficult chapter in his life and one that complicated public remembrances of his artistic achievements.
Tributes have started to appear from fans and fellow performers who admired his energy, creativity and willingness to speak plainly about his life.
For many, Allen’s rise from limited training to national champion offered a narrative of perseverance; for others, the legal troubles remain part of a complex legacy.
Allen’s family has asked for privacy as they mourn. No additional details about the circumstances of his death were released.
