Sharna Burgess just took a major step.
The Dancing With the Stars pro, who was born in Australia, became a citizen of the United States on Oct. 6 and shared moments from her big day on Instagram—including a video of herself taking the oath of allegiance.
"Today something really amazing happened :)," Sharna captioned the clip, which had Whitney Houston's performance of the national anthem from Super Bowl XXV in 1991 playing in the background. "I had no idea that this would feel emotional for me."
As the dancer noted, the U.S. has already been her home for the past 12 years, sharing that it's not only where her career has grown but also where she met boyfriend Brian Austin Green and welcomed their son Zane Walker Green, 3 months.
"Yet this last step of becoming a citizen and finally having the same rights as all Americans felt so important," she continued. "Maybe it's because I've lived outside of Australia since I was 18, so much of that was out of a suitcase and from one country to another. At one point my belongings were just in garbage bags since it was easier to move. I've never even had to vote anywhere before. I think I always felt a bit like a Gypsy searching for belonging. Afraid of staying in one place and also craving the security of it."
Sharna found that sense of belonging in the U.S. "But then, America slowly became my permanent home," she added. "Eventually I found my tribe here, I bought a home here, I fell in love here, I birthed my son here. Now this final step is the period at the end I never knew I was needing so much. This very long chapter of finding belonging has finally come to a close. I Sharna Burgess, am a citizen of The United States of America, and I belong here."
After sharing the news, the 2018 mirror ball champion—who is sitting this season out—received congratulatory messages from her fellow DWTS pros, including a duo who've also taken the step of citizenship.
"Yay!!!!!" Emma Slater, who was raised in England and became a U.S. citizen in 2020, wrote in the comments. "Congratulations @sharnaburgess." Added Gleb Savchenko, who was born in Russia and became a U.S. citizen last year, "Congratulations, that's so amazing and important."