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'Not Just The Fat Best Friend:' Reality Show Judge Changes Her Mind About NJ Dancer

"I'm here to show and prove to the world big girls are not just the fat best friend and they're also not just Lizzo's backup dancer."

Arianna Santos.

Arianna Santos.

Photo Credit: Danielle Baiza (Courtesy of Arianna Santos).

Arianna Santos of West New York is hoping to be an advocate for "all the women who look like [her]" on this season of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Santos, 21, tells cameras from her New Jersey apartment that her mom was a dancer growing up, igniting her passion as a little girl. Her older sister is battling cancer and has been inspiring her to live life to the fullest, she says.

Santos performed a hip-hop number with Flamenco fusion for judges Allison Holker, Comfort Fedoke, and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a champion ballroom dancer who grew up in Bergen County.

Holker initially told Santos it's a "no" at this time, but later said she was questioning her decision on Santos. 

"As I was in there thinking I felt like I made the wrong choice and I changed my answer to yes and if you're willing to accept that I would love to see you in the next round but that means you have to bring the fire," Holker said.

"Whatever you need me to do, I'm here to give it to you guys," Santos says, in disbelief.

"So You Think You Can Dance" airs Mondays at 9 p.m.

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