It was all about family for Dylan Efron on “Dancing With the Stars.” The “Traitors” winner, 33, took the ballroom stage on Tuesday, October 14, for Week 5’s “Dedication Night,” a moving episode where each contestant paid tribute to someone special in their lives.
All the stars aligned in that immaculate #DedicationNight Contemporary from Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach. 💫 #DWTS
Efron chose to honor his 5-year-old sister, Olivia, performing alongside pro partner Daniella Karagach to “Rewrite the Stars,” sung by Zac Efron and Zendaya from The Greatest Showman.
Watch The Video Here
Reality star Dylan Efron and his pro partner Daniella Karagach delivered one of the most moving performances of the night with a contemporary routine to “Rewrite the Stars” by Zac Efron and Zendaya. The dance was dedicated to Dylan’s 5-year-old sister, Olivia, who joined him on stage for the emotional tribute. “I wasn’t expecting to be a big brother… immediately, I was inseparable from her,” Dylan shared, adding that the song was also a nod to his older brother Zac. “He’s always taken care of me,” he said.
Little Olivia melted hearts when she said, “I just like being with Dylan. He’s my best friend… I just feel like I’m free with him.”
The judges were visibly touched and full of praise. Bruno Tonioli called Dylan “the next greatest showman” and dubbed Olivia a “prima ballerina,” noting Dylan’s impressive progress. Carrie Ann Inaba said, “I felt that story to the bottom of my soul… the message of this performance was incredible.” Derek Hough teased, “I hate you. You’re a great guy. You’re in shape. You can dance. And you’re a great brother.” Kym Johnson added, “You are improving and becoming such a great dancer.”
Their emotional performance earned a well-deserved 36 out of 40, marking the highest score of the season so far.
A Sweet Family Dedication
The performance quickly became one of the night’s most talked-about moments. Ahead of the show, Efron shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram featuring Olivia and Karagach.
“Please welcome the newest member of Team DaDy, my lil sister Olivia,” he captioned the post. “She’s quickly become 2nd best dancer on the team and by far the cutest. Team DaDy-O.”
The adorable photos, including one of Olivia in tiny ballroom shoes, melted hearts across social media. DWTS host Julianne Hough commented, “It’s the little ballroom shoes for me 🥹😭❤️,” while Karagach added, “I’ll never get over the mini ballroom shoes 🥹.” Co-star Danielle Fishel chimed in with, “STAWP!!! I love her sm.”
Dylan’s Special Connection to Zac Efron
(Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)David Efron, Zac Efron, Starla Baskett, and Dylan Efron attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony Honoring Zac Efron on December 11, 2023, in Hollywood, California.
Fans had speculated for days that Efron would pay tribute to his famous brother.
During last week’s Disney Night, host Julianne Hough joked that audiences expected him to dance to a High School Musical song. Efron smiled and teased, “I couldn’t — yeah, I have something special for next week,” hinting at the heartfelt surprise that was to come.
Efron’s performance stood out not just for its choreography, but for its heart. In recent weeks, he’s shared glimpses of his close bond with Olivia on social media, posting videos of them fishing, laughing, and dancing together.
“My sister taught my first ever dance lesson, so you better be nice,” he joked in one clip. Another post before the show read, “Looking forward to this next dance :).”
Dancing With the Stars airs live Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. New episodes stream the following day on Hulu.
The Season 34 finale is scheduled for Monday, November 24, 2025, according to ABC’s official site. Fans can vote for their favorite couples during the live broadcast by visiting dwtsvote.abc.com or texting the contestants’ names to 21523.
Last week’s Disney Night saw the elimination of Hilaria Baldwin and her partner, Gleb Savchenko, leaving 10 couples to compete for the Mirrorball trophy.
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