Why Ciara Miller Made Carrie Ann Inaba Cry on DWTS Premiere

And when asked about the touching feedback by co-host Julianne Hough, Miller—whose friend group imploded when her ex West Wilson entered a secret relationship with her best friend Amanda Batula—became emotional while sharing that the words hit home.

“It’s a lot of build-up for a big moment,” the reality star explained, “but I feel like it’s the start of a new chapter.”

“I want to have fun moving forward,” she continued. “But I just wanted to leave everything on the floor tonight, and this was really for my friends that held me up over the past year in my community.”

Indeed, before she took the dance floor, Miller—whose pals Lindsay Hubbard and Mia Calabrese were in the ballroom for her first dance—detailed the inspiration behind her emotional performance, expressing her gratitude toward those who supported her during a dark time in her life.

“There were days and nights with my friends, behind closed doors, that were hard—really hard—to get through,” she wrote in an Sept. 16 Instagram post, “and I’m eternally grateful to them, because without them, I wouldn’t be walking out on this stage tonight.”

“This dance is for my village who have held me up, and allowed me the space exhale,” Miller continued. “No lights. No cameras. Behind closed doors.”

To see who Miller and Armstrong are competing against for the Mirrorball Trophy, keep reading…