Danny Tidwell Dead: Travis Wall’s Brother Dies at 35



Instagram/Travis Wall

Danny Tidwell pictured on his brother’s Instagram page.

Danny Tidwell, the “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant, has died tragically at the age of 35, his brother, Travis Wall confirmed in an Instagram post.

Tidwell was a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and studied at The Kirov Academy of Washington in Washington D.C. as well as studying under Vladimir Djouloukhadze. Tidwell appeared on “So You Think You Can Dance” during the show’s third season in 2007. Tidwell finished at runner-up to Sabra Johnson. His brother, Travis Wall, had been runner-up on the show’s previous season.

According to his official profile on CBS News website, Tidwell was living in New York City at the time of his appearance on the show. During one of his memorable appearances, Tidwell told the judges and the audiences, “When Iw as younger, I got into a lot of trouble. Getting the opportunity to dance really got me out of that.”


Tidwell Was a Silver Medal Winner at the USA International Ballet Competition & Was the Head of Norway’s National Ballet

Danny Tidwell at Fire Island Dance Festival 15Watch Danny Tidwell’s remarkable performance of “The Eternal Vow” choreographed by Lauren Adams with generous support by Masterbeat.com to benefit Dancers Responding to AIDS. Fire Island Dance Festival 15, produced by and benefiting Dancers Responding to AIDS raised $246,000 for the cause and also included talented performances from Keigwin + Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Rolando Sarabia and Mary Carmen Catoya from Miami City Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Armitage Gone! Dance, Kamilah Shah, Jodi Melnick, Feliciano Dance Company, ZviDance and a piece d’occasion by Christopher Huggins. Since its inception in 1995, The Fire Island Dance Festival has raised a total of $1,950,000 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a fundraising program of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. To find out more about Dancers Responding to AIDS, visit http://www.dradance.org. Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dradance2009-09-18T06:03:38.000Z

Aside from his appearances on “So You Think You Can Dance,” Tidwell performed with Debbie Allen productions, who was a judge on the show. Tidwell won a silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in 2002 and performed with the American Ballet Theatre. In 2006, Tidwell and David Benaym founded the dance magazine, movmnt. In the February 2008 issue, Tidwell appeared on the cover with Sabra Johnson.

In September 2010, Tidwell was appointed as the head of Norway’s National Ballet. Tidwell was on staff as a teacher at Fusion Dance Theatre in Holbrook, New York.

During his career, artistic director Robert Hill said of Tidwell’s abilities, “Danny has innate timing. He’s capable of changing the texture of his physical attack, which allows him to make extreme dynamic shifts. umps and turns aren’t hard; artistry is. To create a whole new world for the audience, that’s the fantasy of ballet.”


Travis Wall Heartbreakingly Wrote on His Instagram Page: ‘Yesterday, I Lost a Brother & We All Lost a Gift

SYTYCD3 – Journey & Solo – Danny (We Are The Champions) [HD]Danny is like his brother Travis from the previous season, very talented and one of the best technical dancers on the series, Denis Wall adopted him as her own was a child, and ever since then he has been dancing. To be honest I didn’t like him in the beginning, he wasn’t like Travis in terms of being this bubbly character, I agreed with Adam about the arrogance thing, on the elimination night and he and his partner was put in the bottom 3, he was in shock, but in time I have grown to love him, he is one of my favourites and is awesome to watch 🙂 So you think you can dance Season 32011-05-16T06:57:27.000Z

Wall wrote on his Instagram page on March 6, “My heart is broken. Yesterday I lost a brother. And we all lost a gift. I’m not ready. But I never think I will be. Because I can’t believe this is real. I can’t believe you’re gone. You were more than my brother. You were my inspiration. I idolized you growing up. Wanted to dance just like you. Wanted to be you! I wish I could jump in your arms again like we used to when we were kids and onstage dancing. We will all remember the joy and passion you brought to everyone you came in contact with through out your journey. A journey cut to short. You are a legend. And I love you so much Danny. Rest In Peace my brother. I can’t believe I’m even typing this. Please pray for my mom and my family during this difficult time.”

Danny Tidwell – Profile + SoloSo you think you can dance season 3 finale – Danny Tidwell2011-04-13T17:28:19.000Z

Debbie Allen tweeted about Tidwell’s tragic passing saying, “Danny Tidwell our beautiful dancing genius “Prince amongst Paupers” you are in God’s Ensemble. We will always speak your name with love and respect. See you on the other side. Crying face??Two hearts Love, Mama D.”


Tidwell’s Early Dance Teachers Were So in Awe of His Ability, They Taught Him for Free

Tidwell told The New York Times that she joined the American Ballet Theatre in 2003. Tidwell said in the feature that he had been adopted by one of his first dance teachers, Denise Wall, as a youth. Tidwell studied with her at her dance studio in Virginia Beach. Tidwell was described as being an “elusive means” and a “prince among the rest” in the same article.

Another of Tidwell’s early teachers, Vicky Cooke, said of first seeing the prodigious talent dance, “Danny’s made his mark in the ballet world. Now he’s made an even bigger mark. I remember walking up the stairs of the studio and seeing this little bit of a kid in a straddle, trying to reach his fingers to his toes. The studio closed, so I called Denise and told her about him, and she agreed we’d teach him for free.”


Tidwell’s Fans, Family & Colleagues Have Been Paying Beautiful Tributes to Him Online

Danny Tidwell Performing and Rehearsing StormChoreography by Lauren Adams. This is a shortened version of this Dance. Danny Tidwell of Denise Wall’s Dance Energy in Virginia Beach2006-09-06T13:51:57.000Z

As news of Tidwell’s sad death spread, his family members, colleagues and his fans began taking to social media to pay tribute to this legend’s life. A life that was taken far too soon:

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