Dancing with the Stars Pro Brandon Armstrong Speaks Out on Ciara Miller's Elimination

Dancing with the Stars professional dancer Brandon Armstrong is pushing back against the recent elimination of his celebrity partner, Ciara Miller, stating that she should not have been sent home. The pair exited the competition during week 4, which featured Mariah Carey Night, following their jazz routine set to the superstar's hit song "Emotions."

During Mariah Carey Night, Ciara and Brandon earned a score of 21 out of 30, receiving all 7s from the judging panel consisting of Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. This marked their highest score of the season and placed them fourth on the leaderboard, where they tied with Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess.

Throughout season 35, the partnership had shown steady improvement each week. They started their journey with a score of 15 out of 30, consisting of all 5s, for a premiere night foxtrot to Whitney Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." They followed that up with scores of 18 out of 30, all 6s, for two consecutive weeks during Viral Hits Night with a tango to "No Broke Boys" and Yacht Rock Night with a cha cha to "Never Too Much."

The elimination came as a surprise to many because Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson finished at the bottom of the leaderboard that same night with a score of 13 out of 30 for their samba routine.

Reflecting on the outcome in an interview, Brandon shared his frustration over the decision. He noted that it is disappointing when a partner who is progressing gets cut short, explaining that they felt they were getting everything possible out of the experience. At the same time, he acknowledged that eliminations involve factors beyond pure dance ability, recognizing that viewers vote for multiple reasons and that the show is built on entertainment as well as choreography.

Following the results, Ciara opened up about how she was feeling regarding her departure. She admitted to feeling sad and processing the sudden change, while noting that the process taught her she did not need to strive for perfection constantly.

When told about fans expressing online support and frustration over her exit, Ciara expressed deep gratitude. Though she had not yet checked social media, she grew emotional discussing the audience reaction, stating how much she loved the experience, the partnership, and the opportunity to participate.

Despite the disappointment of an early exit, Brandon expressed pride in his partner's hard work and growth throughout the competition. Ciara echoed a similar sentiment, highlighting the personal growth she achieved by stepping out of her comfort zone on the ballroom floor.