Joshua Allen, who won “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 4, was struck and killed by a train in Texas last year. Six months after the loss of one of the dance world’s most prominent young stars, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office in Texas ruled his death a suicide due to blunt force injuries.
The dancer, 36, died on September 30, 2025. The Fort Worth Police Department responded to a call about a train incident and found Allen on the tracks near Millbrook Lane and Nuffield Lane at about 1 a.m. Train crew members reported a man walking toward the train from around 200 feet away; they were unable to stop in time. Allen was taken to a nearby hospital and later died there.
The medical examiner’s report noted the presence of ethanol, cocaine, and ketamine in Allen’s system at the time of death.
He was also observed wearing a black ankle monitor; authorities have not provided a public explanation for that detail.
Allen first gained national attention in 2008 when, at age 18, he won the fourth season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” He was named the winner on August 7, 2008, and received the $250,000 prize. The season concluded with the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss finishing in second place.
Born March 13, 1989, in Fort Worth, Texas, Allen also worked as an actor and appeared in credits including “Footloose” (2011), “Step Up 3D” (2010) and “American Horror Story” (2011). He began dancing in third grade at about age 8. Michael Jackson was an early influence; Allen practiced moves like the Moonwalk.
Without formal dance training, Allen rose to fame after his win on the show and pursued ambitions as a recording artist, choreographer, and studio owner.
He was widely recognized for his Season 4 victory and had competed on the series as a hip-hop dancer.
He turned his reality-show prominence into film opportunities, appearing as a featured dancer in “Step Up 3D” (2010) and the “Footloose” remake (2011), both of which highlighted his hip-hop-influenced style. In 2010 he worked on Oxygen’s “Dance Your **** Off” as both a dancer and choreographer, and he made guest TV appearances on “Community” and “American Horror Story,” expanding his work beyond dance.
Allen later returned to the show as an all-star, further solidifying his place in its history. He was also a regular at national dance conventions, where he taught routines and classes to young dancers.
According to the district attorney’s office, on April 13, 2016, Allen assaulted and strangled his ex-girlfriend. About two months later, while he was facing prosecution for that incident, he allegedly attacked the same woman again, prompting her to flee to a nearby coffee shop for help.
The Season 4 winner was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest to domestic violence charges, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.
He was convicted of one felony count of willfully injuring a girlfriend after a prior conviction and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. Allen served one year in county jail, received five years of formal probation, completed 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, and was ordered to stay away from the victims for 10 years.
Both his ex-girlfriend Dy’Zetta Brown and his father, Eddie Powell, say Allen had been struggling with mental health issues before his death. Brown says she repeatedly tried to get him help after noticing alarming behaviors during their second year together, including intense attachment, jealousy, and paranoia.
Three days before he died, Brown contacted his probation officer and said she was scared. The response? “Record him so we can send him back to jail.”
A violent confrontation erupted at Allen’s open-casket viewing, creating tensions within his family. A young woman leaning over the casket was suddenly pulled back by an older woman, sparking a brawl at the Texas funeral on November 8.
The two women became physically entangled and other attendees joined the confrontation. Fort Worth police were called twice and remained at the funeral until it finished after their second response. No arrests or citations were reported.
The altercation exposed a rift within Joshua’s family. His father, Eddie Powell, told TMZ the woman leaning over the casket was Joshua’s girlfriend and alleged members of Joshua’s mother’s side of the family assaulted her while she tried to place a note on his body.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Joshua Allen, winner of Season 4 of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and a gifted performer whose talent left a lasting impact on the dance community,” said Fox and Dick Clark Productions in a statement at the time of Joshua’s death.
Choreographer Emmanuel Hurd recalled Allen as someone who brought an uncommon energy into every room, calling him the life of the party, sincere, and someone who made amends when he fell short.
Choreographer Comfort Fedoke, who had known Allen since they were 14, reflected on their long friendship on what would have been his 37th birthday. She said few people could understand the burden she carries and noted that being part of “So You Think You Can Dance” brought pressures few fully grasp; she expressed regret that they hadn’t had enough candid conversations.
The season Allen won also included the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss as the runner-up. Stephen died in December 2022 at age 40, and his death was also believed to be a suicide. Allen and Boss formed a close friendship during and after the competition, remaining close even after Allen won. Allen later said they were among the contestants who were closest while filming and genuinely celebrated each other’s successes.
Allen’s death is part of a wider and painful pattern of loss in the dance and entertainment communities. Those who knew him emphasize he was more than a TV victor—a complex, deeply human individual who struggled in ways not always visible. For fans who watched him win at 18 and followed his career, the confirmed details of his death bring sorrow with little comfort.
