Katina Olsen is a proud Wakka Wakka and Kombumerri woman and also has Norwegian, German and English Ancestry. Katina’s choreographic interests interrogate her Indigenous cultural dance and story through various forms including theatre, moving sculpture, film and installation. She holds a BFA (Dance) from Queensland University of Technology and a Diploma in Dance from Queensland Dance School of Excellence.

Her choreographic highlights include Mother’s Cry for Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed 2018,  Yalu Dad and namu nunar Festival 2018, movement direction for the ABC TV series Cleverman 2 and Walking into the Bigness (Malthouse), and collaborating with Dance Makers Collective on their Australian Dance Award nominated DADS and Instar as part of Big Dance in Small Chunks (Parramatta Riverside). In 2017 Katina choreographed Min Min for QUT’s graduating year for Dance 17 and worked with Indigenous youth artists on Digi Youth Arts Unsettle project, in collaboration with the Queensland Museum. As a performer she has worked nationally and internationally with companies, choreographers and directors: Bangarra Dance Theatre, Force Majeure, Expressions Dance Company, Martin del Amo, Victoria Hunt, Vicki Van Hout, bwsene !nmotion Australia, Erth Visual & Physical Inc, Wesley Enoch, De Quincey Co, Frances Rings and Narelle Benjamin.

In 2011 Katina received a danceWEB scholarship at ImPulsTanz Vienna and in 2014 she received an Australia Council JUMP Mentorship with Philip Channells in disability inclusive dance, choreographic practice and community arts in Norway/Australia. In 2016, Katina was profiled by BlakDance at PAX/APACA and is one of their NEXT GENERATION Indigenous choreographers.