"Gal" Friday! Karina Smirnoff

Karina Smirnoff is a Ukrainian-American professional ballroom dancer, five-time U.S. National Champion , World Trophy Champion, and Asian Open Champion. Additional ballroom crowns that Ms. Smirnoff has won include titles at the UK Open, she is a three-time champion at the US Open, a five-time champion at the Dutch Open, and five-time US National Professional Champion. She has been ranked second in the world, and she took second at the British Open Blackpool Dance Festival. Karina is the first woman to ever make the British Professional Final with three different partners.

Since 2006, she has been seen on Dancing with the Stars and in May 2011 she will add Playboy magazine to her resume. Yes, indeed! Karina is doffing her duds in a pictorial that founder Hugh Hefner calls "unforgettable". I grew bored with Dancing with the Stars quite some time ago, I mean it really should be billed as "Dancing with the Has-Beens", but Karina herself is one of their more delightful dancers.

I look forward to her Playboy debut next month and happily award her a cozy space in the Catacombs as this weeks "Gal" Friday selection.