Sky's Got To Dance semi-finalist and member of the acclaimed Trinity Warriors Dance Academy, Leon Heywood, has died at 45.
Leon was part of the brigade that wowed audiences and judges alike on the show back in 2011, receiving high praise from judges Davina McCall, Kimberly Wyatt and Diversity's Ashley Banjo for what they deemed "the best performances seen on a live round to date", reports the Mirror.
Grief swept through the dance community as his group confirmed his passing on Wednesday, releasing a heartfelt statement: "It is with great regret we would like to inform you of the passing of Leon Heywood, one of the academy's founding fathers."
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They hailed Leon as a pillar of inspiration and support within the group, stating, "Leon was such an incredible person and he was an inspiration to every single one of us, from students to parents, to supporters and the dance community as a whole, he inspired so many of us and was everyone's biggest support. To many of you he wasn't just a dance teacher, he was a mentor, a friend, a role model, some of you thought of him as a father figure or a big brother and he loved every single one of you."
In their statement, they also reflected on his significant impact: "Leon helped pave the way for so many of us and shaped us into not only the dancers we are today but also contributed into shaping us all into the people we are today. His students have gone on to do incredible things and even if your path didn't continue in dance he was proud of us all and what we have all accomplished."
The tribute read: "The news of his passing has been a great shock to us all, however, Leon was a man of God and faith and he is now at peace in heaven and would want us all to remember all of the amazing memories we are all so privileged to share together. With that being said, the Trinity Warriors and Academy prides itself not just on the incredible talent of our dancers are but most importantly the value of being apart of a crew and dance family... and that's exactly what we are, one big Trinity family, so please feel free to share any pictures, videos or just words in the comment section below so we can all look back and share all our special moments.
"Please also allow Leon's family and close ones time to grieve at this difficult time, all your messages and kind words are being read and are appreciated and loved at this difficult time. Leon's life will be celebrated and through us all and his legacy will live on forever...Rest in eternal peace Leon aka "Boogie" T's up forever."
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