WHAT'S BAILACURA?
BailaCura is a Non-Profit Organization 501(c)(3). EIN 82-1151105.
BailaCura hosts annual fundraising dance festivals, charity galas, and dance socials that connect others with the cause. Our proceeds support both local cancer centers & local organizations that support cancer patients & their families.
Our Mission
Our mission is to use the power and passion of dance to raise funds and support for cancer research and patient care.
Our Vision
Our vision is bring the dance community together to support local cancer centers & organizations.
Our History
Bailacura is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded by Matthew Bergens in 2016. Dance and the local dance community was an integral part of helping Matt through his personal cancer journey.
Through BailaCura, Matt lives his life mission of helping other’s through their cancer journey and raising funds and support for cancer research.
Meet The Co-Founders
MATTHEW BERGENS
Matt is a former US Army Officer, cancer survivor, and current medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. Matt completed his training at Fort Benning, GA and was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC with the 82nd Airborne Division. In late 2015, Matt was diagnosed with cancer.
He went through multiple surgeries, radiation, and was later medically retired from the Army. BailaCura was founded during Matt’s transition process from the US Army during which time he also completed a 2-year research internship position at the National Institutes of Health as well as a Master of Physiology from NC State University.
Matt is intensely passionate about helping future patients overcome their cancer and hopes to positively impact the world as a physician-scientist. He uses his cancer story to emphasize and provide hope for his friends and their children who are currently battling cancer. Matt loves to dance and you can often find him on the dance floor either dancing salsa or playing the congas to the salsa rhythm.
DARRYL C. ZELDIN
Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D., is a physician-scientist who lives in Chapel Hill, NC. Dr. Zeldin received his medical degree from Indiana University, completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Duke University Medical Center, and a Fellowship in Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine at Vanderbilt University. He is an internationally recognized physician – scientist who directs a large research program at the National Institute of Health (NIH), which involves both basic and clinical studies.
He is also a faculty member at Duke University Medical Center and the University of North Carolina. Dr. Zeldin is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine, and is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and American Association of Physicians. He has co-authored over 300 research articles and his work has been cited over 20,000 times. His research has also been featured on NPR, Good Morning America, USA Today, US News and World Report, PBS, and on other nationally recognized media venues. In his part time, he loves to dance (Latin and Ballroom)
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me
JENNY GESKA
Jenny Geska is a current Real Estate Specialist, area Blogger & Socialite, and dance instructor. She graduated from American Military University with a BS in Environmental Science. Jenny has been dancing since age two and teaching dance since high school. She specializes in Brazilian movement arts – attending Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro as an International dancer. She has over 30 years of technical dance and ballroom training, and brings over 15 years of professional performance, teaching, and choreography experience to class attendees across the US.
Jenny has worked with various local news stations and festivals in the area to try to further her outreach of International dance and has worked with various nonprofit organizations and communities around the world to help dance for adults and children thrive and grow.
Finding a home with Bailacura, Jenny enjoys furthering her outreach efforts and using the power of dance to not only raise money for the organization, but to help people of all backgrounds find joy in the healing power of dance.
