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efined/Undignified, Briercrest College and Seminary’s hip hop dance crew, is on the verge of something big.

If enough votes pour in between now and December 16, they could receive funding that will take their ministry farther than it’s ever been.

R/U has reached the semi-final stage of the Aviva Community Fund competition, a national competition sponsored by Aviva, an insurance company that supports projects dedicated to creating positive change in communities.

After voting ends Wednesday, twenty-five semi-finalists will advance to a judging round, the results of which will be announced January 16. The winner will receive a grant they can use to fund their community project.

Refined/Undignified has asked for nearly $200,000 to purchase all of the equipment they need for their shows—lights, tech equipment, a dance floor, vans, the works—and take their ministry to the next level. Currently, they borrow or rent all of their equipment, and the financial burden prevents them from traveling and serving as widely as they would like to.

“Youth today are struggling to see hope in their circumstances,” their proposal reads. “Faced with so many issues ... of appearances, acceptance, and popularity, they are turning to drugs, sex, violence, self-injury, suicide, and depression. Our performance seeks to meet youth where they are at by offering true life stories through the testimonies and dances of our team.

“Our goal is to be able to travel and perform with our own equipment to present a relevant and powerful message of hope.”