Hundreds mourn Dance Force Elite founder Matthew Thomas, who died at age 34

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of people packed the Harold Washington Cultural Center Tuesday to mourn Matthew Thomas, founder of the award winning dance company Dance Force Elite.

Thomas died nearly two weeks ago at the age of 34 from ongoing health issues.

"This is a devastating loss, to be honest," said Latisha Waters of Empire Dance Institute. "It's messed up for me, and I know it hurt a lot of these kids."

Thomas founded Dance Force Elite more than a decade ago, mentoring youth aged 5 to 18 in different forms of dance. His older brother Kentrele Schipp helped run the program.

"Anything performing arts, Matthew loved," Schipp said. "Dancing, we have a cheer background. We were on the South Shore Drill Team once upon a time."

Under Thomas' guidance, Dance Force Elite thrived, growing to five locations throughout Chicago. It impacted the lives of more than 5,000 young people.

Thomas' students took the stage Tuesday for a powerful performance and send-off for their beloved dance instructor.

Jaliyah Norris, the 18-year-old team captain, has been a member of Dance Force Elite for six years.

"The more and more we went on dancing, it was just like, this is real," she said.

Thomas is being remembered as a visionary with a commitment to youth empowerment.

"A lot of these girls go to the poms teams, the cheerleading teams and they're the captains, because they started with him at 5 years old," said friend Tony Johnson.

Just a few weeks before Thomas' death, Dance Force Elite started practicing their routine for the Bud Billiken parade, which marches down Martin Luther King Blvd. in August. Members say that even with their loss, they'll continue with plans to perform in honor of Thomas.