Before Ryan Guzman played Eddie Diaz in ABC’s hit first responder procedural 9-1-1, he was dancing his heart out in Step Up movies alongside a number of remarkable talents, including the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss.
After Boss, who died by suicide in December 2022 at age 40, captured fans’ hearts on So You Think You Can Dance in 2008, he went on to star in popular TV series and films before working as a DJ and executive producer for Ellen DeGeneres. Among his many projects were Step Up: Revolution and Step Up: All In, which also starred Guzman as Miami street dancer Sean Asa.
Though Guzman has admittedly been “afraid to dance” since Step Up, on May 5 he posted a video of him showing off some moves to Instagram alongside a touching tribute to his late friend Boss.
“Thank you, Twitch! You changed my life without getting the proper feedback from me. I’ve felt imposter syndrome to the umpteenth degree for calling you a brother but not being more involved in your life, and to that fact, you’ve changed the definition of connection for me,” Guzman wrote. “Now, I aim to connect deep with those I love. Showing all my sides and not just the bright ones. I wouldn’t have made that leap without you. I know your spirit is still present, and your essence still lives on in the hearts of many.”
After sharing his love for Boss, Guzman went on to confess that he’s “been so afraid to dance” since his Step Up movies “for fear of being judged on the principle, I played a professional dancer in a movie and was held to a standard of dance I couldn’t uphold.” (Guzman was cast as a lead in the films with no formal dance training, though he said his athletic background and martial arts experience helped him tackle the role.)
“It was Twitches voice in my head that reminded me to get out of my head and dance for the fun of it,” Guzman continued. “Laugh at yourself. Be goofy. Mess up. But most of all, be vulnerable and feel the music. In your honor Twitch, I danced for the first time in a long time n let go of the fear. God bless you, brother 🙏🏽”
In response to the heartfelt post, fellow Step Up dancer and So You Think You Can Dance alum Tony Bellissimo commented, “Dance is the way,” and several of Guzman’s 9-1-1 co-stars also showed support. Kenneth Choi commented, “Fabuloso Mi Hermano 🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻,” and co-stars Tracie Thoms and Jennifer Love Hewitt added, “❤️❤️❤️❤️.”
Some 9-1-1 fans also flocked to the post to support Guzman and request future dance scenes for his character Eddie. Here’s hoping Diaz can show off a few moves down the line, or at the very least, that Guzman keeps sharing snippets of his real-life Twitch-inspired dance videos.
