The song is performed whilst the Wildcats, led by Chad (Corbin Bleu) play baseball against the Lava Springs staff. Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) challenges Chad to perform in the annual Lava Springs talent show, but Chad declines, stating that he doesn't dance. Ryan thinks dancing takes as much game as baseball, and tries to prove it to Chad. The moral of "I Don't Dance" is that even though "you may not think you're good at something, you'll never know for sure until you try." I Don't Dance is also said to be a metaphor for sexuality, and the tension between Ryan and Chad, this is partially proven near the ending of the song where the two switch clothes. [3]
The Village Voice's Tom Breihan called the song "the movie's best dance-number" and commented how the routine managed to "include rapping and swing-dancing, which sort of blew [his] mind."[4] Reviewer Erin Nolan referred to the song as "insanely catchy."[5] Not all reviews were positive though. Writing for The New York Times, Kelefa Sanneh called the tune "excruciating,"[6][7] whereas Virginia Heffernan felt that the music was "a superb idea, as it plays off both the Latinization of the major leagues (by letting a little salsa into the hip-hop) and the spectacular pitcher-batter operetta showdowns of recent seasons," but that the camera work let the scene down noting that "viewers never get a sustained look at the choreography ... and for that reason it’s hard to appreciate specific dancers or their clever configuration."[8]
A promotional CD single for the song was released in Portugal but without an English version of "I Don't Dance" and a music video was also made.[9] The music video can be seen on High School Musical 2 2-Disc Deluxe Dance Edition DVD.
