Benji Schwimmer Remembers Donyelle Jones, His Beloved SYTYCD Partner, and Celebrates Her Impact on His Life

Benji Schwimmer; Donyelle Jones.
Credit: Benji Schwimmer/Instagram; Jason Merritt/FilmMagic

NEED TO KNOW

• So You Think You Can Dance finalist Donyelle Jones passed away on December 2, a decade after being diagnosed with breast cancer, according to her official Instagram account.
• Benji Schwimmer, her dance partner, paid tribute to Jones with a moving video shortly after her death.
• Schwimmer expressed a lifelong bond with Jones, formed during their partnership on the second season of the competition in 2006.

So You Think You Can Dance winner Benji Schwimmer commemorated his late dance partner Donyelle Denise Wilson, known as Donyelle Jones, following her death on December 2.

In a heartfelt tribute shared on Instagram, Schwimmer, 41, combined archival footage from the dance competition with a personal video message reflecting on their friendship.

Earlier that day, Donyelle’s official Instagram account announced her “transition” at 8:34 a.m. She was 46 years old.

Donyelle’s passing comes nearly ten years after her diagnosis of stage 3C breast cancer in 2016, which eventually progressed to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. She 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 tribute stated.

In his reaction video, Schwimmer recounted, “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 described a vivid dream where he and Jones danced together, noting her radiant and dreamlike presence. “I started to get emotional because I visited her in the real world, last week, a little bit before Thanksgiving,” he shared. He was overwhelmed with joy during the dream, feeling as if she was free from pain.

Donyelle Jones and Benji Schwimmer on So You Think You Can Dance.
Credit: Jason Merritt/FilmMagic

Schwimmer reflected, “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 extended his love and condolences to Jones’s husband, Tahir, and the broader arts and dance community.

He noted Donyelle’s positive influence on the often competitive arts world, stating, “Donyelle was never a victim of that.” Schwimmer also highlighted the profound impact she had on his self-confidence, attributing much of his personal success to her guidance.

“She was taken from us too soon,” he lamented, sharing hopes of recreating their choreography from SYTYCD. “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 their journey as dance partners, Schwimmer remarked, “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.” He expressed deep gratitude for the time they shared and the lessons learned through their partnership.

In closing, Schwimmer remarked on the legacy he hopes to continue in her honor, saying, “I look forward to taking part in that, honoring my friend, my dear friend, and my forever partner, in dance. I love you, Donyelle.”