Anya Garnis
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Season 3
Hometown: Latvia, Russia
Style: Ballroom
Anya Garnis is the original Hot Tamale, as she was the first contestant to have ever ridden Mary Murphy’s now infamous, “Hot Tamale Train.” It’s a fitting title for this Latin ballroom dancer, who is seriously too hot to handle. Her ballroom partner, Pasha Kovalev, also competed in Season 3, and they went on to compete nationally and internationally together. They continued to dance together after SYTYCD, and were original cast members in both the Broadway and West End productions of Burn the Floor.
