Dancing with the Stars Season 34: Dylan Efron looks back on his journey after placing fourth

When Dylan Efron speaks of his time on Dancing with the Stars Season 34, it is with gratitude and a sense of quiet surprise.

Finishing in fourth place after the November 25 finale, Efron and his pro partner Daniella Karagach looked fate in the eye — and walked away changed. In an interview with PEOPLE following the finale, Efron said plainly: 

“I think I did something I never thought I would or could, and I think that's what I'm feeling is I easily could have gone my whole life without ever experiencing this, and I'm so happy I did… I'm so happy Dani was my partner. I wouldn't have changed a single thing.”

Dancing with the Stars Season 34: The Journey, the finale, and what it meant

Though they did not reach the podium, Efron’s path was far from ordinary. In the penultimate episode of Dancing with the Stars, he and Daniella found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard — a precarious position, but not the end.

Their first dance of the night, chosen by judge Bruno Tonioli, was a Paso Doble to “Stampede” by Alexander Jean featuring Lindsey Stirling, meant to push Efron out of his comfort zone.

But when Instant Dance night came around, Efron delivered a Foxtrot set to “Ordinary” by Alex Warren, earning perfect scores of 10 from the judges — a rare feat.

And his final freestyle performance struck a chord deeper than choreography. As he danced, Efron said, 

“My whole life, I've watched my brother perform. I never wanted to be in the spotlight, and the fact that I can step on stage and capture people's attention gives me chills. I finally feel like I belong here.”

The ballroom reacted — not just with applause, but with emotion. For many viewers, the transformation was undeniable.

What Efron says — and what he’s taking away

In the days after the finale, Efron reflected with clarity. In the same interview with PEOPLE, he said that the experience was more than dance: it was a personal breakthrough.

“I think I did something I never thought I would or could… I’m so happy I did.”

He emphasized that the journey would have been meaningless without Daniella:

“I’m so happy Dani was my partner. I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.”

Karagach herself echoed that sentiment:

“He was just himself from the beginning, and that never changed, and I love that.”

Particularly after facing a wobble near the end — placement at the bottom of the leaderboard — Efron proved that resilience, heart, and authenticity still matter on Dancing with the Stars.

After the final curtain, he told E! News that he and Karagach planned to rest, recover, and spend time with family for Thanksgiving. 

“It’s all about family and food. That’s it,” he said. And yet, even in downtime, he noted how the show changed him: “I don’t know if it's dance — I think it’s just the fact that I can commit to whatever I want to do next.”

Efron entered the ballroom, perhaps expecting a lesson, a challenge, maybe some fun. Instead, he walked out with renewed confidence, a sense of belonging — and gratitude.

As the final season credits rolled, he may not have held the Mirrorball Trophy. But he held something arguably more lasting: the knowledge that he was capable of more than he ever imagined.

Stay tuned for more updates.