Anima Xavier

Anima Xavier (born March 18, 1957), known professionally as Animal X, is an American costumer, musician, dancer, performance artist, and owner and artistic director of the theatrical touring company DreamWeaver Productions.
Career
Manhattan punk rock scene
Performing under the name Animal X, Xavier was an icon of the 1970s punk rock scene in Manhattan with her bands Xerox and Animal and the Amazons.
In October 1978, Xerox headlined the opening of TriBeCa nightclub Mudd Club alongside The B-52s. Also in 1978, Xavier formed a collective of more than thirty well-known female musicians in the Manhattan punk scene, known as The Pack. Notable members of The Pack included Ann Magnuson, Sharon Mitchell, Tish and Snooky Bellomo, Joy Ryder, Lisa Krystine, Marilyn (of Marilyn and the Movie Stars), and members of Pulsalamma.
Following the breakup of Xerox, Xavier went on to form Animal and the Amazons in 1979 with members of The Pack. Animal and the Amazons toured throughout the following decade, receiving national attention for their June Brides tour, which featured appearances by Cyndi Lauper and was mentioned in the Woody Allen film Party Monster.
Xavier was an artistic director for the Mudd Club from its inception until 1981.
Fashion and design
Xavier attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan alongside classmate Keith Haring. She was a frequent exhibitor in East Village galleries in the 1970s and 1980s alongside artists such as Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, Julian Schnabel, and William Coupon.
During her time in the Manhattan punk scene, Xavier become known for her innovative and controversial fashion designs. Xavier was the owner and designer for the Asphalt Jungle clothing store in Chelsea from 1978 to 1980, the first all-designer punk fashion retailer in New York City.
Xavier was a featured performer and artist for the Washington Project for the Arts’ first Punk Art festival in 1978.
Xavier served as costume designer for the Boston Rock Opera's production of The Kinks' rock opera Preservation.
Xavier’s designs have notably appeared in music videos such as Madonna’s Like A Virgin, Pat Benatar’s Love Is a Battlefield, and Def Leppard’s Rock of Ages. She and her creations have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, The Boston Globe, Threads, The Costumemaker’s Art, and Us Magazine, and as part of broadcasts of The Today Show, Project Runway, NBC’s Real People, NPR’s This American Life, and CNN’s Fashion America.
Xavier was the 2001 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Costumer’s Guild.
Acting
Xavier appeared in a number of films in the 1980s, including Sid and Nancy, Stardust Memories, Xanadu, Ms. 45, Little Mighty, and New Wave Vaudeville.
Sci-fi conventions
Xavier has been a staple on the science-fiction convention circuit since the 1970s. Her picture appeared on the cover of the original edition of The Making of the Trek Conventions by Joan Winston due to her involvement with the conventions. Xavier was the first costumer to cosplay Red Sonja, and was featured alongside Wendy Pini and Angelique Trouvere in Frank Thorne’s comics for this.
Xavier returned to the convention circuit in the late 1980s, winning numerous awards including Best in Show at Costume-Con and Best Master at Worldcon. She was the chairman of Costume-Con 11 and instituted the convention’s doll competition. Xavier has been a guest of honor at Chicon and Marcon, and will be honored at 2014 Norwescon in Seattle.
Arts education
Xavier has taught costuming, performance art and theater, and multidisciplinary arts at New York University, Colorado College, and Point Park College. She is the recipient of a number of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grants and fellowships, including an interdisciplinary art/fibre and video grant in 1987, a theater grant in 1988, an interdisciplinary art and performance grant in 1989, and a Fellowship in Interdisciplinary Art in 1990. She was an artist-in-residence through the Arts In Education program from 1987 to 1992.
Personal life
Xavier currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she is owner and artistic director of the theatrical touring company DreamWeaver Productions.

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