Karla Hart (WA)
‘Wardarn Dreaming’
Performance includes dance, song, didgeridoo playing, storytelling, fire and body painting.
Duration approximately 1hour.
Artist Statement: Wardarn Dreaming is a culturally rich and immersive live performance celebrating the connection of Noongar people to the ocean. Meaning “dreaming of the ocean, our connection to it, the spirit of the ocean, and all that it provides for us” this performance is presented by Karla Hart and Kwarbah Djookian (Beautiful Sisters). It brings together powerful dance, song, a skilled didgeridoo player, performers adorned with body paint, and an evocative ocean soundscape with language chanting, creating a deeply engaging cultural experience on Cottesloe Beach for all visitors to Sculpture by the Sea.
Biography: A proud Noongar woman, Karla Hart was raised on Goreng country in Western Australia’s Great Southern. Hart studied at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Edith Cowan University. She is a multi-award-winning artist, filmmaker, actor, musician, performer, speaker and teacher. It is her connection to her country and culture that has inspired every aspect of her work and commitment to the sharing of First Nations stories. Hart was the recipient of the 2021 Western Australian of the Year Aboriginal Award recognising her significant contribution to arts, culture and her commitment to empowering her community through performance, dance, music and media opportunities. Other awards include two-time NAIDOC Artist of the Year (Perth) 2009 & 2017, WA Performing Arts Award for Best Supporting Actress 2015, and WA Screen Award for Best Short Film 2014. Since 2007, Hart has managed and performed with the Noongar women’s dance group Kwarbah Djookian and has taught thousands of people Noongar dance and song in community groups andschools across WA.
