5 September 2008

Jayne Smeulders Wins West Australian Dance Award

West Australian Ballet Leading Artist, Jayne Smeulders, has been awarded the West Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for her role in Alice (September 2007).

The 2008 West Australian Dance Awards (WADA's) were presented at the Ausdance WA Fabulous Cocktail Party on September 4, held at the University Club, University of Western Australia.

The WADA's recognise the achievements of the West Australian dance community, in the areas of performance, choreography, technology, service, teaching and community. Other winners on the night were Chrissie Parrot, for Metadance and Lucette Aldous for lifetime achievement in dance.

Smeulders has danced with West Australian Ballet for the last nine years and says she loves performing for West Australian audiences in her home town of Perth. Born in Dampier, she began her ballet training at Jody Marshall Dance Company and studied at the Graduate College of Dance, and the Hamburg Staatsoper GMBG Ballettschule in Germany. Before joining West Australian Ballet she performed for many years all over the world with Nederlands Dans Theater ii.  She was promoted to Leading Artist early in 2008.

14 August 2008

Lotterywest celebrates 75 years

In 2008 Lotterywest celebrates 75 years since the very first draw lottery put the chance of a life-changing cash windfall within the reach of every West Australian.

Over all the years, our purpose has remained the same; to give players a reason to dream while generating funds that make Western Australia a better place to live.

This financial year, Lotterywest has raised more than $200 million to support WA good causes.  These include more than 1,000 different community groups, WA sporting organisations, our public health system and WA arts organisations like the West Australian Ballet.

In 75 years Lotterywest has raised $2.8 billion for charitable organisations and WA lottery players have won $5.6 billion in prizes.   

Thank you to all West Australian lotto players - every time you play a Lotterywest game, you're helping to support the Western Australian community.