Fall shows are hitting the 2025 TV schedule, and Dancing with the Stars kicked off a flashy Season 34 this week. And thanks to contestants like wildlife conservationistRobert Irwin, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and reality newbie (and Zac Efron’s brother), Dylan Efron, to name a few, it was lots of fun. However, as the younger Efron continues to shed being just "Zac's brother," I'm now wondering if we can expect a High School Musical homage this season? Well, the DWTS cast member teased the possibility.
The first episode of DWTS showcased each new pair with a hand-chosen song and choreographed dance that represented them. Efron and his teammate, DWTS champion Daniella Karagach, wowed the crowd with Kelis’ “Milkshake.” After the episode, the duo was asked by Page Six about the possibility of honoring the still lovable HSM movies through their song choices later in the season. The Traitors winner didn’t promise anything, though, saying:
We can’t give away anything.
It’s certainly not a no, especially with Disney Night around the corner on October 3! But also, it's not a yes, so we’ll just have to continue to wait and see if we get a Troy Bolton-inspired number. However, considering another DWTS pro, Britt Stewart, was a principal dancer on the Kenny Ortega movies, it kind of feels like the stars are aligning for some kind of High School Musical-inspired dance. She's not Efron's partner, though...so...that leaves us continuing to wonder.
To that point, Karagach jumped in to confirm that their rehearsal plans will remain under lock and key, at least until they share it on social media or perform the number live, as she said:
We’re not giving away anything.
It’s completely fair, I suppose. If they are doing a dance to a High School Musical track, it would be better as a surprise to audiences. And if they do, it may help affirm Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei’s prediction of Efron and Karagach winning Season 34 (or at the very least, confirm a place near the top of the list).
The Great Global Cleanup alum taunted crowds even more by sharing he thinks that the Baywatch star would be happy about a potential HSM dance (Zac Efron still speaks fondly about High School Musical), saying:
I’m sure [Zac] would be stoked.
If that’s not a carrot dangling in front of a horse, I don’t know what is. It feels very on par with when HSM’s two leads–Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens–randomly visited the real East High in 2022, and fans thought they’d be cameoing in the new franchise. Regardless of who’s pleased about it, family or beyond, let’s just hope that Dylan Efron’s avoidant answer doesn’t have the same fate. Fingers crossed!
For now, fans of the Efron family, myself included, will have to wait and see if Dylan does have a Zac and/or High School Musical tribute in store. And in the meantime, I'll be thinking about what he could dance to -- personally, I'm hoping for a routine to a song like "We're All in this Together" or maybe "Bet On It."
Now, to catch Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, you can watch it on ABC or stream it with a Disney+ subscription on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Here’s hoping that Dyaln Efron keeps his head in the game long enough that he can surprise us with a Wildcats number.
