A Definitive Guide to Zac Efron Dancing

Ever since he burst onto the scene with High School Musical, Zac Efron has been breaking all the hearts while cutting a rug. Here, we look back at 12 times he bopped, whirled, gyrated, and boogied to perfection.

Ear, Finger, Human body, Hand, Joint, Elbow, Standing, Chest, Barechested, Wrist,

(Image credit: Archives)

1. High School Musical (2006)

Efron starred in the Disney Channel original movie as Troy Bolton, captain of the varsity basketball team and the most popular guy in school who secretly loves singing and dancing (in the paint).

2. Hairspray (2007)

In Hairspray, he played the dreamy Link Larkin, the lead male dancer (inspired by Elivis Presley), on The Corny Collins Show.

3. High School Musical 2 (2007)

He reprized his role as Bolton, with the whole HSM crew takes on the Midsummer Night's Talent Show. An Efron dance solo? You can bet on it.

4. High School Musical 3 (2008)

Bolton was back, more of an impassioned Wildcat than ever, for senior year.

5. 17 Again (2009)

In 17 Again, Efron plays a 37-year-old man in his 17-year-old body who can bust a move (especially on the basketball court, natch).

6. New Year's Eve (2011)

Efron played a delivery boy who palled around with Michelle Pfeiffer's character on New Year's Eve. The movie ended with the duo dancing to Pink's "Raise Your Glass."

7. The Paperboy (2012)

In The Paperboy, Efron's character strips down to his skivies and dances with Nicole Kidman's character. It's a sight to behold.

8. Dance Dare with Taylor Swift on The Ellen Degeneres Show (2012)

Efron and Swift were dared by Degeneres to dance around celebrities — including Betty White, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and Akon — without getting caught.

9. Lap Dance With Workaholics (2014)

To promote their film Neighbors, Efron and Seth Rogen teamed up with Workaholics on a promo video, in which Efron gives the guys a sexy lap dance.

10. The Queen Latifah Show (2014)

Efron joined his former Hairspray castmate Queen Latifah on her show and the two danced to Michael Jackson's "Love Never Felt So Good."

11. On Vacation in Italy (2014)

He proved that he knows just how to wiggle with it while on vacation with Michelle Rodriguez, Youssef Giga, and Italian entrepreneur Gianluca Vacchi.

12. On Vacation in Italy Pt. 2 (2014)

Efron gets down to Lil Jon's "Turn Down for What."

Lauren Valenti
Beauty Editor

Lauren is the former beauty editor at Marie Claire. She love to while away the hours at coffee shops, hunt for vintage clothes, and bask in the rough-and-tumble beauty of NYC. She firmly believes that solitude can be a luxury if you’ve got the right soundtrack—that being the Rolling Stones, of course.