Season 34 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars is set to premiere next week as part of the 2025 TV schedule, which means the cast has been officially assembled. Though we have yet to see anyone actually dance, I can’t help but think on my predictions, and it would seem I’m not the only one. DWTS Season 33 champion Joey Graziadei just revealed his own prediction for the "dark horse" winner this season, and this is a pick I'm down for.
Who Is Joey Graziadei Feeling Good About Ahead Of Season 34?
Something I’ve learned from DWTS is that sometimes, the contestant fans think will win based on initial skill will end up taking home the crown, like Season 31 winner Charli D’Amelio. More often than not, though, a duo can surprise the public and eventually top the leaderboard. That's exactly what happened with former Bachelor star Graziadei. While he maybe wasn’t the most skilled Season 33 dancer, his growth through the season was undeniable, and the reality star told Chicks In The Office he sees the same potential in one of the new contenders:
My dark horse might be Dylan [Efron] and Dani [Karagach], because I really just think Dani’s an unbelievable dancer. And Dylan gives me similar vibes to like how I was on the show. I feel like he’s gonna have a building kind of a whole journey on that.
I can totally see Dylan Efron becoming a top contender as the season goes on, although I think Graziadei might be underestimating the Traitors winner. According to ABC News, the outdoor influencer is a former IRONMAN competitor, ranking in the top 2% in the world for his age group. Also, while I don’t think he can bop to the top quite like his famous older brother, being a world class athlete means having the ability to pick up athletic skills easily, and having the determination to constantly improve.
Daniella Karagach is also a former mirrorball champion as well as a world class athlete herself. She’s been dancing since age 3, and she and her husband, DWTS pro Pasha Pashkov, competed on World of Dance together. I can see this being a great duo, and I’m already looking forward to more BTS TikTok content like the video below:
That being said, the Down To Earth with Zac Efron producer has some tough competition this season, as the celebrity cast is stacked.
Who Else Could Pose A Threat During DWTS Season 34
Right away, I can see Whitney Carson and Robert Irwin, brother of Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin, having a path similar to Graziadei's and that of his former pro partner, Jenna Johnson.
As for female celebrities, I think mega-influencer Alix Earle, under mentorship of her partner mirrorball champ Val Chmerkovsky, could also surprise everyone with her progress throughout the season, so long as she works on that whisk dance. Both Earle and Chmerkovsky have extremely large followings online prior to the start of Season 34, I anticipate them being a fan-favorite pair.
However, the person to beat will be Team USA Olympian Jordan Chiles. Professional gymnasts have a history of making it far in the competition due to the fact that gymnastics and dance overlap in technical skills. The judges do take into consideration age, ability and experience when evaluating for scores, especially early on in the season.
Regardless, the two-time Olympic medalist will certainly have a leg up. Her pro partner, Ezra Sosa, is also a young, talented dancer who saw an early drama-filled exit with celebrity partner Anna Delvey in Season 33. Needless to say, I’m sure he’s ready for another chance to bring his A-game.
Being an Olympic gymnast doesn’t guarantee you the mirrorball trophy though, as we saw last season with Stephen Nedoroscik. The Pommel Horse king made it all the way to the finale with pro partner Rylee Arnold, who I think has a good shot at doing the same this year with Scott Hoying of Pentatonix. Yet it was Joey Graziadei who took home the win in a very close race.
Only time will tell as to who we will see on finale night but, after hearing Graziadei's thoughts, I'll surely be keeping a close eye on Dylan Efron. I look forward to getting a good benchmark assessment when Dancing with the Stars premieres on ABC on Tuesday September 16 at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes are also available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.
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