Zac Efron reveals High School Musical’s most iconic dance was improvised

Zac Efron, the star of High School Musical, has disclosed that one of the franchise’s most memorable moments and dance sequences was entirely improvised.

The Disney Channel experienced great success in the late 2000s with the debut of High School Musical. This series played a pivotal role in launching the careers of notable stars including Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Zac Efron.

Despite the many re-watchable scenes in all three movies, one of the most memorable moments took place in High School Musical 2, where Troy Bolton (Efron) sang on a golf course, becoming an iconic moment.

Efron’s rendition of ‘Bet On It’ has been a source of memes for years due to its exaggerated nature, suggesting that the memorable moment was improvised.

During an interview with Still Watching Netflix, Efron informed co-star Joey King that they had no ideas for what to do on the day they shot the scene.

“When asked about the concept for the song, the director [Kenny Ortega] was unsure and turned to me for ideas. With us being on a golf course, I suggested we improvise and see what happens. Surprisingly, we were able to shoot the entire song in just three hours.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8CrSEKpVHs

Zac Efron and Joey King Answer To a Nosy Cookie Jar | A Family Affair | Netflix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8CrSEKpVHs)

In addition, he informed King that for a long time, he believed he was the creator of the body roll move showcased in the sequence.

One of the most iconic moments in the High School Musical franchise is ‘Bet On It’, as it marked the debut of Efron’s first solo musical performance.

Despite being the lead in the first High School Musical movie, Efron did not sing as his vocals were instead performed by singer Drew Seely.

During an interview with E! News, Seeley disclosed that Disney did not provide an explanation for choosing his vocals over Efron’s in the final version of High School Musical. He attributed this decision to the company underestimating the film’s eventual success.

According to Seely, they were taken by surprise at the sheer scale of its success. While they may have had high hopes for its success, they never anticipated it becoming the unstoppable force that it did.

“Perhaps at that time, they were unsure of how to handle having both an actor and a singer on board. The narrative for a while was that our voices were seamlessly integrated. However, let’s be honest: I sang in the first film, while Zac took on singing duties in the second and third films.”

Efron’s performance in High School Musical 2 showcased his singing abilities, and the song ‘Bet On It’ gained him recognition from fans. As one fan noted, “Even though it was an unintentional hit, I still love it.”