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Dancing into the Record Books: Bailando Raises $95,000 for ChesMRC
The sounds of Latin dance music, applause, and joy filled the Avalon Theatre on Saturday, September 26th, as seven couples took the stage for the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center’s (ChesMRC) 3rd Annual Bailando con las Estrellas fundraiser. When the evening concluded, more than $95,000 had been raised in support of ChesMRC’s mission to empower people from different cultures to become successful and engaged members of our community.
Bailando con las Estrellas (Dancing with the Stars) began in 2024 as an opportunity to gather and celebrate Hispanic Heritage month. It has grown into a community-wide phenomenon, and a beautiful illustration of what ChesMRC’s Executive Director, Matthew Peters, calls, “Hope in Action.”
This year’s couples - Lynn Aleman and Hadyn Gross, Fred and Norma Christie, Becca Lewis and Ramón Santos, Dr. Rosa Mateo and Dr. Tawes Harper, Sergio Polanco and CeCe Davis, Bill Ryan and Joan Richtsmeier, and Keri and Sevan Topjian – worked with choreographer Erinne Lewis to put together dazzling dance routines. The teams competed to win in three prize categories.
The Make it Rain (Lluvia del Dinero) Award, decided by donations from friends, family, and audience members, went to the team who raised the most money on behalf of ChesMRC. The Dancing Stars (Estrellas del Baile) and Heart (Corazón) Awards were determined by a panel of celebrity judges, all of whom have participated as dancers in previous years of the fundraiser. Angel Perez, Dina Daly, and Marina Goerner offered heartfelt, uplifting feedback after each dance before heading backstage to choose the winners.
The Dancing Stars Award went to Becca Lewis and Ramón Santos, while Bill Ryan and Joan Richtsmeier took home both the Heart Award and the Make it Rain Award. Each team received trophies and gift cards provided by Bluepoint Hospitality.
“We are over the moon with the outcome of this year’s event,” says Executive Director Matthew Peters. “Last year, we raised $69,000, and this year, we set a goal of $80,000. Watching the community come together and exceed that goal in such an extraordinary fashion was both a humbling and an incredibly inspiring moment for our staff and leadership. We are so grateful to everyone who participated in Bailando, from our dancers and sponsors to our donors and ticketholders. YOU made this event a huge success!”
ChesMRC would like to send special thanks to the 2026 Bailando con las Estrellas sponsors. This year’s event was made possible by Presenting Sponsor Marasun and Spotlight Sponsors Bette Kenzie, the Rude Food Group, and the Seip Family Foundation. The 2026 Star Sponsors, each of whom sponsored a team, included Rise Up Coffee, Marasun, the Seip Family Foundation, Nanticoke Pharmacy, Amy Haines and Richard Marks, the Zebra Gallery, and Nightengale Health. A full list of sponsors and more information about the event can be found at chesmrc.org/bailando.
