Petra Nemcova: 5 Facts on the 'Dancing With the Stars' Contestant and Supermodel [VIDEO]

She certainly has the legs for those high-cut ballroom dancing outfits.

Supermodel Petra Nemcova has been tapped for Season 12 of "Dancing With the Stars," joining Kirstie Alley, "Karate Kid" Ralph Macchio, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and other celebrities.

For obvious reasons, though, Nemcova has caught many people's eye. Here's what we know about her.

1. Born and discovered in the Czech Republic
Nemcova was born in 1979 and grew up in Karvina, Czech Republic, during Communist rule. At the age of 15, she was discovered by Next Model Management.

2. Survived the tsunami
Nemcova became famous outside of fashion and celebrity circles after the devastating 2004 tsunami. She was vacationing in Thailand with her fiance, photographer Simon Atlee, when the tsunami struck, and they were separated. Nemcova survived by reportedly spending up to eight hours clinging to a tree. She suffered a broken pelvis and was hospitalized for about six weeks, first in Thailand, then in the Czech Republic. Atlee drowned.

3. Mistress of many tongues
Defying the dumb-model stereotype, Nemcova speaks "Czech, Slovak, Polish, Italian, English and a little French," according to IMDB.

4. Former Sports Illustrated cover girl
Nemcova's big break in modeling came in 2002, when she was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She certainly caught the eye of Craig Kilborn, who talked about her endlessly before she finally came on his show. He predicted that she would be on the cover of the SI Swimsuit Issue next. Watch:

And he was right: She was the 2003 cover model.

5. A longtime dancer
"I love to dance. I can dance for, like, four or five hours nonstop without even drinking water. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing," she has been quoted as saying. She has also turned to dancing in times of sadness. During an interview with Larry King after the tsunami, Nemcova said that after Atlee's funeral, "we went dancing, because that's what he would do. He would celebrate the life. And I was still on one crutch, and I was dancing. It was amazing. It's -- that's how he would want it."

How are her moves? Surge Desk found this video showing Nemcova dancing with Star Jones (a strange pair, no?) at a 2008 party.

More coverage from Surge Desk:
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'DWTS' 2011 Cast: Is Kirstie Alley the One to Beat? [VIDEO]

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