Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Margarita Sarabia.
Hi Alexandra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a multidisciplinary artist born in 1990 in Caracas Venezuela. At an early age developed an interest in the arts universe with an emphasis on dancing. As a child, I was always enlisted in dance classes and participated in many local competitions. Rapidly and at an early age, I gained recognition within my community as a dancer and choreographer.
Like many Venezuelans nowadays, I started looking for a life outside of my country as soon as I finished high school. Since English was NOT a skill of mine and had the desire to study dance in the USA, my mother encouraged and supported me to study English before applying to any dance school in the USA. Due to elaborate politics related to visas in my country, I ended up studying English in Malta, EU (6 months). That moment marked the initiation of taking my own life in my own hands and initiating the wornderful journey of self, life, and world discovery seeing it all through the lenses of artistry.
The journey has had few stops so far. After Malta, I was accepted into the international students’ dance program offered at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Once completed my dance program, I moved to Costa Rica and initiated studies of Fashion Design -my mother had moved there looking for a better future- which I later finished at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
Movement and Fashion have become my main outlets of self-expression. In the present day, my dance has evolved into specialty circus acts. My main act is hair suspension, yet, I also perform different aerial apparatuses such as dance trapeze and looped straps. My performance acts have distinctive athletic skills natural to the disciplines being performed, yet, they are also full of movement harmonies where my forever inner dancer becomes alive, and gets to put my staple in each of my acts.
On the other hand, about my fashion journey, nowadays, I make stage apparel for circus performers (accommodating requirements of various disciplines), dancers, and musicians. Also, I make my costumes helping to further achieve the intention to be shared in my performing acts.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As it is of popular knowledge, the life of an immigrant has a distinctive list of complications.
In my case having to make a living hasn’t always come attached to my artistry and some other times-pursuing the arts – has drained me of my skills to pursue somebody else’s visions. Any ways, there is no other way but to continue to fashionably dance the dance of life and to learn how to make it better along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One of the most challenging aspects of my artistry so far has been to understand that my many outlets (dancing, fashion and painting-which I have not talked about yet-) can coexist and create one harmonious universe instead of feeling pulled into different worlds as I tap into each of them.
Most recently, I have developed a hair suspension/dance act where I wear a dress made by me (of course) and drip paint over a loose canvas placed on the floor inspired by the sounds of life music by a specially selected musician to complete the sensorial creation experience. With this act, I create a unique tangible art piece (the canvas as a product) generated by a unique moment (the performance).
Why paint? As a child, my first targeted intuitive outlet was painting and drawing. Even though I was never encouraged into its development, it was not taken away either. Painting has accompanied me all along the way, especially during hard times and has become an important part of my creation processes.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Given the person that I am, my believes, skills, and weaknesses… the most important lesson so far has been that I can’t pursue art to feel alive. I have to genuinely live life to create genuine art. In that order, my soul is unshakably fulfilled.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Sarabiasart
