By Jada Van Der Linde — Contributor

The Bishop’s University Competitive Dance Team has started off the new year by launching its annual 50/50 fundraising event on January 6. With just $10 you stand the chance to win one of two $500 cash prizes!

The dancers are raising funds for the Be U competition in Mississauga, ON, where they will be representing Bishop’s University in March. The dancers have been preparing for this competition since October of 2022. They are in the studio every Sunday (all day) and every Monday night. They compete in multiple dance styles including jazz, contemporary, hiphop, and ballet. Yet, the competition stage is not the only place where you can find these talented dancers. The hiphop team supports a number of hockey and basketball games during quarters and halftimes, so expect to see some of these dancers performing this season!

You can support the dance team by participating in a simple draw. Contact any member of the competitive dance team, choose how many squares you would like to purchase and pick your lucky number(s). It is that easy! The winners are selected at random with the help of a random name generator, so everyone has an equal chance to win. Of course, the more tickets you buy, the higher the probability of winning. However, you do not need to buy many tickets to win. The winner from the last 50/50 fundraiser only purchased a single ticket and won the $500 cash prize! 

Here are a few thoughts by the dancers regarding the upcoming competition:

I’m really excited about bonding with the team and spending time getting to know each other better in a high stress environment. 

– Makayla Foster

Coming from a small island, I never had the opportunity to attend a dance competition and it’s crazy that we’ll be competing in a few months. I never thought I’d actually take part in one.

– Lisa van der Spaan