Congratulations to Louise Howden-Smith OAM, who was awarded Western Australian of the Year for Arts and Culture during the Celebrate WA awards held on Friday 30 May at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Howden-Smith has a long association with dance. She is the founding director of WA’s Ochre Contemporary Dance Company, having worked as Executive Director of West Australian Ballet for 10 years. After she retired from this position in 2007, Howden-Smith began to investigate the possibility of a dance company that would bring together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal choreographers. Ochre Contemporary Dance Company has now been in operation for three years, guided by Howden-Smith.
The awards ceremony was opened with a performance by Ochre dancers, choreographed by Penelope Mullen, alongside a welcome by Richard Walley.
Louise Howden-Smith
