“Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 made its triumphant return to ABC viewers on Tuesday, September 18, welcoming celebrity contestants like Robert Irwin, Danielle Fishel, Scott Hoying and more to leave it all on the dance floor with their professional dance partners for a chance to win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
The new season, marking 20 years of “DWTS,” similarly features “The Traitors” alum Dylan Efron, who will compete alongside fan-favorite pro Daniella Karagach. On Tuesday’s premiere, the duo took to the dance floor to perform their debut routine for the judges and a live studio audience, which included Efron’s “Traitors” co-star, “Survivor” legend Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano.
Dylan Efron Shakes His ‘Milkshake’ in DWTS Premiere
For their first challenge of the season, contestants were tasked with performing a dance routine to their personal anthem. Efron, who recently won an award at the 2025 Las Culturistas Culture Awards for his viral “Butt in Air” Instagram snap, unsurprisingly chose Kelis’ 2003 hit “Milkshake” to mark his “DWTS” debut.
Karagach choreographed a Cha Cha routine for the track, which began with Efron sharing a milkshake with judge Bruno Tonioli before leaping up onto the judging panel to shake his own assets for the audience.
After the duo finished their performance, the cameras cut to the audience, where Rob Mariano, joined by “The Bachelor” star Kelsey Anderson, “DWTS” alum Hannah Brown and “Selling Sunset” star Chrishell Stause, applauded Efron and Karagach.
ABC/GettyThe judges – Tonioli and Derek Hough – later awarded the duo a total score of 10 points out of a possible 20, leaving the pair tied with three other teams, including Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa, Baron Davis & Britt Stewart and Scott Hoying & Rylee Arnold, for 9th-12th place out of 14 competing teams after the premiere episode.
Currently, two teams are tied for first place with a score of 15/20 points. The first team, composed of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Whiteny Leavitt and returning pro Mark Ballas, performed a Tango routine to “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. Meanwhile, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, who danced alongside Witney Carson, commanded attention with a high-energy Jive routine to “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf.
Boston Rob Keeps His ‘Traitors’ Bromance Alive at DWST Premiere
Given their long-standing “bromance” that started on the set of “The Traitors” Season 3 earlier this year, fans went wild after seeing Boston Rob cheering on his former co-star on Tuesday night.
“Screaming, crying, throwing uo after seeing Boston Rob in the audience for Dylan Efron’s ‘DWTS’ debut,” wrote Page Six after the premiere, while another fan on X/Twitter added: “Now Boston Rob has to do the show.”
Oddly enough, Mariano was rumored to be cast on the current “DWST” season, though the former “Survivor” champion reportedly declined the offer to compete.
After heading backstage after the episode, Efron praised Mariano for showing his support, telling Page Six, “It’s awesome… My ‘Traitors’ family. It means a lot that they came out.”
Prior to being announced for the Season 34 cast, Mariano and Efron teased that they are working closely to develop their own project. As to what that project will be – potentially a new reality competition series? – remains to be seen.
For now, fans can tune in to new episodes of “Dancing With the Stars” Season 34 every Tuesday night at 8:00pm ET on ABC.
