Trey Knight (Odious Odell Knight III)

World Champion skater, performer, innovator, and teacher

Trey Knight passed away on February 27, 2026, after a long and determined battle with cancer that began in 2019. For nearly seven years, he met the disease with persistence, resilience, and a refusal to give in until he had no fight left to give.

Born on July 20, 1971, to Joyce Christopher Knight Knott and the late Odious Odell Knight II, Trey lived a life defined by motion, creativity, and connection.  He later embraced Ron Knott as his stepfather, forming a close and lasting bond that both deeply valued.

From an early age, Trey found his place in the world on skates. What began as competitive artistic roller skating quickly became something much larger.  With his partner(s), he rose to the top of his sport, first as a National Champion and ultimately becoming a World Champion in Artistic Skating/Dance—a distinction that reflected not only technical skill, but artistry, discipline, and presence.

That achievement was only the beginning.

Trey went on to build an international career as a coach, choreographer, and creative force, working with skaters across the world.  He designed costumes, developed routines, and helped shape the careers of others, always pushing beyond what was expected.

His creative drive eventually led him into circus arts, where he became a pioneer in stilting.  He developed new techniques, new movement styles, and a visual presence that was unmistakably his own.  Through Stilt World, he brought this work to wide audiences, including a run to the semi-finals on America’s Got Talent. He also designed and built stilts for professional performers, including work connected to Cirque du Soleil.

Trey’s talents carried him into the broader entertainment world, where he performed and collaborated with major artists including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Miley Cyrus, and many others.  He coached Usher’s dancers in skating performance and served as assistant choreographer for Debbie Allen’s Chocolate Nutcracker. His work appeared across film, television, music videos, and live events.

But the record of what Trey did only tells part of the story.

What defined him—what people consistently speak about—was how he made them feel.  Trey had a way of connecting with people that was immediate and lasting.  He was generous with his time, his knowledge, and his encouragement.  He built communities wherever he went—in the rink, on stage, and far beyond.

He leaves behind not only his family—his mother Joyce, his stepfather Ron, his aunt Nancy Knight, but also a worldwide network of friends, students, performers, and collaborators whose lives were changed by knowing him.

Trey lived fully, created constantly, and gave of himself freely. The reach of his life extends far beyond any single accomplishment.  It lives on in the people he inspired, the artists he helped shape, and the countless moments of joy and connection he created.

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