Alexandra Underhill grew up in Elmira, NY and came to Cleveland to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art, from which she graduated with honors in 1993. Her professional career encompasses jewelry, sculpture and installation as well as the performing arts, set design, costumes, wearable art, stilt dancing, acting and modeling. She is also the co-author of, “ALTERNATION-transform,embellish,customize”, -design inspirations on how to recycle and transform old clothes into new fashion.

Alexandra has worked and lived in many countries and her conscious integration of foreign experiences, rhythms, religions, and styles is reflected in her works. From 1994-2007 Alexandra cultivated her cosmic style as visual arts director, principal costume designer, and stilt performer for the multimedia performing ensemble SAFMOD.



Her award-winning costumes have appeared internationally, in feature films and in MTV music videos. She has had the honor to work with Jiri Kyrian, Cirque Du Soleil, Pilobolus Dance Co., the San Francisco School of Circus Arts, Cleveland choreographers and companies. Her work has been featured in numerous national publications including the NY Times and Ohio Magazine. Cleveland magazine named her one of “Cleveland’s most Interesting people of 2007.

Alexandra Underhill

716-860-2676 (cell)
www.artofxan.com
[email protected]

Recent Acting and Performance Experience

2010 “wigs for Kids” commercial voice for Donation Campaign, Feb,Cleveland,Ohio

2007-present Christopher Axelrod Productions (Cleveland, OH), hired to play various characters in internet broadcast TV show and high profile theme parties (French maid, played Mae West character).

2008 “Play by the Rules” music video for John Chaffee.Played the supporting role of stilt dancing ,Patriotic Goddess.

2002 – 2008 Sparx in the City (Sparx Concert Series, Cleveland, OH). Featured as professional stilt dancer/performer at yearly (summer) street concert series, a downtown marketing initiative.

2006 - 2008 Fox 8 News, “Kickin’ It With Kenny” (Cleveland, OH). Guest stilt performer on morning news segments, most recently July 4, 2008 and August 8, 2008

2007 “Agent Allied vs. Dr. Dirty and the Forces of Physics.” Avatar Entertainment (Cleveland, OH). Played Professor Physics character in educational video about safe driving of utility vehicles, produced for the City of Cleveland.

1994 - 2007 SAFMOD (Sub Atomic Frequency Modulation Overdose), multi-media performance ensemble, Cleveland, OH. Professional performance of stilt acrobatics and dancing. Also, as Visual Arts Director, responsible for design, set construction, special effects and costumes for performance troupe.

Photographic Model

2008 Video, postcard and print model for advertising in several Sparx publicity pieces. Various images of me in self-created stilt Goddess character (Extravaxandra).

2006 New York Times. Subject in photo by Heidi Schumann in photo journal of Burning Man festival.

2006 Herb Ascherman Photography. Cover photo subject in publicity materials for the traveling photography show “Cleveland, America!: An Exhibit of odd, interesting and unusual people and places in Northeast Ohio” presented by The Western Reserve Historical Society.

2006 Ingenuity Festival, photo subject (stilt dancing) used in various print and television publicity for the festival. Also featured in promotional video for the Festival.

2003 Circus Center, San Fransisco, CA. Photo subject for yearly curriculum guide and publicity pamphlet.

1999 Geoff Pankhurst Photography. Studio photographic subject featured on cover of Scene Magazine.

Other professional experience

1993 – 2008 Gallery shows for sculpture and installations, arts education in city schools, wardrobe and costume design for performance ensembles (including Cirque du Soleil and Pilobolus Dance Company), produced and sold wearable art, jewelry and accessories.

2007 Co-authored Alternation: Transform, Customize, Embellish, a book about creative recycling of clothing.

2006 Featured in 30 minute video making self-designed tie skirt in “Uncommon Threads” on internet DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com)

2004 – 2005 Principal costume design and styling for two feature films, Hero Tomorrow and Christmas at Maxwells.

Education

1993 BFA, Fiber, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH (5 year BFA)


Every journey brings new ideas to the surface. This is the true essence of human experience. I’ve traveled and lived throughout the world and consciously integrate foreign rhythms, textures and forms in all of my creative expression.

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