The dance world is in mourning following the death of Donyelle Jones, a beloved star of the American television show So You Think You Can Dance. She was 46 years old.
A Decade-Long Fight Against Cancer
Jones's family confirmed the tragic news on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, revealing she passed away after a ten-year battle with cancer. In a heartfelt statement posted to her Instagram account, they announced she "transitioned" at 8:34am.
The family described her as a warrior whose spirit never dimmed. "A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. And a warrior who kicked cancer’s ass every single day she was here," they wrote. "Her heart never hardened. And even in the storm, she never lost her smile."
From SYTYCD to the Silver Screen
Donyelle Jones first captured the public's attention in 2006 as a finalist on the second season of So You Think You Can Dance, where she finished in third place. Her professional career included a role in the 2005 John Travolta film Be Cool.
More recently, she appeared in the 2022 festive musical film Spirited, starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Gosling, playing an 1800s woman.
Moving Tributes from Friends and Co-Stars
The announcement prompted an outpouring of grief and loving memories from former colleagues. Fellow SYTYCD competitor Bake McGrath called Jones an "angel now and forever," adding she left the world brighter.
Choreographer Tricia Miranda simply wrote: "I love u sister. Rest now." Her dance partner from the show, Benji Schwimmer, shared a poignant dream he had on the morning of her passing, seeing her healthy and dancing on an ethereal stage, which he awoke from just minutes after her time of death.
"Every memory that I have of her, she has that same ethereal glow," Schwimmer expressed, offering his condolences to her family.
A Public and Private Battle
Jones was first diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer in 2016, a condition that later progressed to Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Just one week before her death, she informed her followers on Instagram that she had moved into hospice care after her liver stopped functioning.
In what would become one of her final public messages, she urged her community: "If this is my last post, I guess the thoughts that I would wanna leave with you all… get back to community. Get back to family."
Donyelle Jones is remembered not only for her talent and vibrant performances but for the immense courage and radiant positivity she maintained throughout her illness.
