Campus News

'Behind the Blue': A Tradition of Care and Support With DanceBlue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 28, 2022) DanceBlue is a University of Kentucky student-run organization that fundraises year-round and culminates in a 24-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon.

The money raised through DanceBlue is donated to the Golden Matrix Fund, established to support the kids of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic both today and well into the future through an endowment. The Golden Matrix Fund was created to benefit the clinic’s patients and families, by providing care, support, and comfort for the kids and their families.

DanceBlue funds also support the year-long fundraising engine and operations that underpin the mission, as well as supporting research at the UK Markey Cancer Center. Through more than 15 years of DanceBlue, more than $18 million has been raised to support this cause.

On this episode of "Behind the Blue," DanceBlue Overall Chair Nick Joseph and Marketing Chair Jennifer Derk talk about their personal experiences with DanceBlue, the impact the event has on the UK community, and more.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.