Benji Schwimmer/Instagram; Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
NEED TO KNOW
So You Think You Can Dance finalist Donyelle Jones died 10 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer, her official Instagram page announced on Tuesday, Dec. 2
Benji Schwimmer shared a heartfelt tribute to his dance partner with a heartfelt video shortly after
Schwimmer said he was "bonded" for life with Jones after the pair were partnered together during season 2 of the competition dance show in 2006
So You Think You Can Dancewinner Benji Schwimmer is honoring his late dance partner Donyelle Denise Wilson, known as Donyelle Jones, afterher deathon Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Schwimmer, 41, shared a combination of archival footage of his time on the competition dance show alongside the late Jones and a heartfelt video message about their friendship, in a lengthy video shared onInstagramon Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Hours earlier, Donyelle's officialInstagrampage shared that she had "transitioned" at 8:34 a.m. She was 46.
Donyelle's death comes nearly 10 years after she wasdiagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer in 2016, whichlater progressed to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Donyelle was remembered as "A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. And a warrior who kicked cancer's ass every single day she was here."
"Her spirit never dimmed. Her heart never hardened. And even in the storm, she never lost her smile," the statement continued.
In his video reacting to the loss, Schwimmer began: "This morning, I woke up from a dream with tears in my eyes, and there weren't tears of sorrow or pain, but they were tears of joy."
He continued through tears, "I was on a stage like a darkened, ethereal stage, and there was a big misty spotlight, kind of shining, and in the background, out of nowhere, my dance partner and friend, Donyelle, came out, and she was dressed so beautifully."
The pro dancer added that Donyelle was "radiant" and "just glowing and illuminated in a way that only dreams can create." He shared that they then danced and talked together.
"And I started to get emotional because I visited her in the real world, last week, a little bit before Thanksgiving, and was so happy to be with her," Schwimmer recalled of the last time he saw Donyelle. "Here we were dancing out of nowhere a week later, and I was crying tears of joy because she wasn't in pain, and she was healthy, and she was moving and laughing with me. And, just as I was enjoying this moment and moving with her, the dream ended, I woke up at 8:40 a.m. this morning, only to find out that Donyelle had passed away at 8:34 a.m."
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
TheSo You Think You Can Danceseason 2 winner added that "Every memory that I have of her, she has that same ethereal glow, and I just wanted to express my gratitude, my condolences for her family."
He sent love and condolences to Donyelle's husband Tahir and the arts and dance community.
"There are many times in the arts, in the dance world, where it's competitive, and it's a grind, and there's sometimes negative emotions that could cloud the pure joy that dance can radiate within all of us. And Donyelle was never a victim of that," he added of her impact on the dance world.
Schwimmer went on to explain that outside of Donyelle's myriad of professional accomplishments, she most importantly helped him find self confidence. "Before all of that's done, she really was an integral reason to my successes as a person. She helped teach me about just accepting my body as it is, laughing in the moments where it costumes were wonky and weird, and about grinding and working hard and training at whatever age in order to be your best self on and off the dance floor," Schwimmer explained.
"She was taken from us too soon," he added, before explaining that the pair soon hoped to recreate some of their choreography fromSYTYCD. "The same smile that she had on that stage, she had that same smile in that dream, and she had that same smile when I saw her last week for the last time."
Reflecting on the moments they shared together as dance partners, Schwimmer said, "It's not a marriage, but sometimes it feels closer than that, because you're at your most elevated self all the time, or you're at your most humble self in sweatpants, just stressing, and there's no middle ground, there's no rest, there's no easiness."
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Schwimmer noted that he is "so grateful" for the time that he spent with her. "Be grateful of the people in your life. Be grateful for the teachers, the unsung heroes that have gotten you successful in whatever you are, an artist, dancer, be grateful for that."
"I think this is just the beginning for what I think in the future, is going to be some incredible legacy, work done in her name, her honor, and through her inspirational story," he concluded. "And I look forward to taking part of that, and honoring my friend, my dear friend, and my forever partner, in dance. I love you, Donyelle."
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