Talk about a rehearsal gone wrong. Dylan Efron, the 33-year-old reality star currently competing on Dancing with the Stars Season 34, ended up in the emergency room at midnight after his professional partner Daniella Karagach accidentally broke his nose during practice.
The incident happened on Friday, October 24, while the pair was attempting a new move ahead of the show’s highly anticipated Halloween Night performance. In an Instagram video posted from the hospital, Efron explained what went down. “It’s midnight and I’m at the hospital because Dani broke my nose,” he said with surprising good humor despite the circumstances. “We were trying a new move and I took an elbow right here, and it made a really loud crack.”
Anyone who’s watched Dancing with the Stars knows that rehearsal can be just as intense as the live performances. However, this broken nose situation definitely wasn’t part of the choreography. The reality TV winner, who previously claimed victory on The Traitors, could be seen in photos holding an ice pack to his swollen face.
What’s truly remarkable about this whole ordeal is Efron’s attitude. Despite the painful injury, he captioned his Instagram post with determination: “Broke my nose, but dont need it to dance 🕺.” He quickly reassured fans, saying, “I’m seriously all good,” before promising he’d be “back dancing tomorrow.”
The mishap also highlighted the tight-knit DWTS family. Efron expressed heartfelt gratitude to Karagach, her husband and fellow pro dancer Pasha Pashkov, and his season partner Danielle Fishel, who all stayed by his side during the hospital visit. “I’ll never forget the way Dani, Pasha and Danielle WOULDN’T leave my side when it happened, warms my heart to have friends like them,” he wrote.
The comments section on his post quickly filled with support from his fellow DWTS cast members. Pro dancer Emma Slater exclaimed, “WHAT?!! @dylanefron hope you’re ok!” while Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei added, “Hope you are all good brother!” Even his Traitors co-star Boston Rob Mariano chimed in with a playful jab: “Keep him in line @daniellakaragach.”
True to his word, Efron is pushing forward with the competition. The younger brother of actor Zac Efron is set to perform a Viennese Waltz to “Can’t Help Falling in Love (Dark)” by Tommee Profitt and Brooke during Tuesday’s Halloween-themed episode.
The timing couldn’t be more critical, as Efron and Karagach have quietly become one of the season’s dark-horse teams, averaging a 7.6 out of 10 from the judges and consistently landing around third place each week. Their standout moment came during Week 5, when Efron danced a contemporary routine dedicated to his younger sister Olivia, earning an impressive 36 out of 40 and landing him at the top of the leaderboard for the first time.
Now, as Efron recovers and prepares for Halloween Night, fans are rallying behind him. This broken nose during rehearsal has only seemed to strengthen his resolve and showcase his commitment to chasing that coveted Mirrorball Trophy. With his positive attitude and the unwavering support of his dance family, Dylan Efron is proving that nothing—not even a broken nose—can keep him off that dance floor.
