Martina Navratilova: Animal Advocate and Dancing Queen?

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Forget March Madness, it's time to watch real fancy footwork on tonight's premier of Dancing With the Stars.

If we're rooting for anyone on the show, it's got to be animal advocate and vegetarian Martina Navratilova. Though she may be considered an underdog, we know she has the competitive drive to rise to the challenge and compete with grace.

Navratilova, a legend in tennis, has also made quite a name for herself in animal rights activism. She has been partnering with groups like PETA since the 1990's and she has never been afraid to speak out on behalf of animals. She also promotes the benefits of a plant-based diet for overall health, as you can see in the video below.

Aside from her involvement in animal rights, we just love Navratilova's determined and generous spirit. In an interview with the L.A. Times, she laid out some of her reasons for participating in the show.

"It really comes down to two things: First, I've always been set on facing my fears and ever since I was 14 and my parents put me in a ballroom dancing class, I’ve had this terrible fear of dancing in public -- I don't even like dancing by myself! I was scared of flying, so I got my pilot's license, I’m scared of dancing, so what better way to conquer my fear of that than to go on the largest dance floor in the world and compete on "Dancing with the Stars"! 

And second, I've always been vocal about the importance of staying active and fit, and it's been instrumental in my success on the tennis court and keeping me at the top of my game for so long. And after you hit a certain age, you know, your body starts to change and staying active becomes even that much more important. That's why a few years ago I became AARP's Fitness Ambassador -- and I figure if I'm out there telling folks to get out of their comfort zones, try new activities, and lead healthy lifestyles, I better lead by example. Hopefully by seeing me on the show, people will get motivated to get up and get moving!"

We think it's great that Navratilova is stepping out of her comfort zone to help others. We can't wait to see her dance tonight and we wish her the best of luck!