Elena Gallegos is Rising Star
Submitted photo
Elena Gallegos of North Augusta won first place in the Hotlanta Dance Challenge Rising Star Division last weekend. The Hotlanta Dance Challenge is the third largest ballroom dance competition in the nation, drawing dancers from across the U.S. and Canada. The Rising Star Division is for younger non-professional dancers. Elena and her partner, Matt Watson, who is also one of her instructors, won first place in the mambo, bolero, salsa, rumba ,samba, east coast swing, hustle, cha-cha, waltz, tango and foxtrot. Her favorites are the Latin dances. Elena is 12 years old and a seventh grade student at North Augusta Middle School. She is the daughter of Shannon Berry and Manuel Gallegos. Elena trains at Ballroom in Motion in Augusta.