Stars sparkle on the dancefloor to give back to Ballarat

A RECORD breaking $306,000 has been raised for the Ballarat Foundation by this year’s Dancing With Our Stars contestants.

Each coupled up with an experienced dance partner, 10 community members took to the floor at a gala at Mercure Ballarat over the weekend to perform a ballroom or Latin routine.

Over the last three months, the stars have been rehearsing at The Dance Studio under the instruction of Shelley Ross. Each with a goal to raise $20,000, they sought sponsorship from locals and businesses.

 

Foundation CEO Andrew Eales said the organisation will distribute more-than $1.5 million in Ballarat this year, and DWOS is the major event on its fundraising calendar.

“The only way we can deliver this incredible impact is through the generosity and vision of the Ballarat community, here to make a difference,” he said.

“Economically, the past few years have been the most challenging we’ve seen in a generation.

“We see through our work, and the programs we fund, everyday Ballarat people who are lining up for emergency food, who are homeless and who are suffering significant mental health issues.

 

“Our job is to respond.

“Due to the support of Dancing With Our Stars, we will be able to support more projects: provide more free books to Ballarat children, help people get better access to food and housing, and bring on more volunteer L2P mentors.”

The Playground Gym’s Dustyn Rodgers – who danced the jive – was crowned DWOS Champion for raising the most amount of money: $43,000.

“This is unbelievable. There are some generous people in this room,” he said.

“I couldn’t have done this without (dance partner) Holly.”

 

Also in the Champion placings, ceramicist Shelby Sherritt was third with $37,000 raised, while surgeon Nadine de Alwis placed second with $40,000.

The dances were judged by performing artist Kelli Brogan, Peter Head from Swish Dance, and former DWOS contestant, primary teacher Gemma Snibson.

In the Judges’ Choice placings, physiotherapist Paige Brooks and partner Ashlie Ross were the winners for their quickstep, followed by Rodgers and Holly Learmonth’s jive, and Heidi Biggin and Adrian Misseri’s paso doble.

An accessibility advocate and mum of three, Biggin lost almost all of her eyesight in 2010 at the age of 22.

 

She made history as DWOS’ first contestant with a disability.

“One in five people in Ballarat have a disability so hopefully I’m not the first to do this program,” she said.

Sherritt’s waltz won the People’s Choice vote, followed by Oasis Building Group designer Paige Gercovich’s Viennese Waltz in second, and Rodgers’ jive in third.

Last year’s DWOS fundraising record was $213,000. When the competition began seven years ago, $106,000 was raised.

See the full photo gallery on pages 20 and 21.