A “WORLD class” performer who starred in Sky’s Got To Dance show has died aged 45.
Leon Heywood was part of the Trinity Warriors Dance Academy that reached the semi-finals of the show in 2011.
Leon Heywood has died aged 45[/caption]
Heartfelt tributes are pouring in for the choreographer and dancer[/caption]
Judges Davina McCall, Kimberly Wyatt and Diversity’s Ashley Banjo adored his choreography, describing their performances as “the best seen on a live round to date”.
The show saw aspiring dancers competing over multiple rounds for a £250,000 prize.
The show ran from 2009 through to 2014.
But the dance group confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that their “founding father” had tragically died.
They said: “It is with great regret we would like to inform you of the passing of Leon Heywood, one of the academy’s founding fathers.
“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.
“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.”
