Khandi-Barr Alexander American dancer, choreographer and film and television actress Date of Birth: 04.09.1957 Country: USA

Biography of Khandi-Barr Alexander

Khandi-Barr Alexander, born on September 4, 1957, is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress in film and television. She is best known for her role as Dr. Alex Woods in the series "CSI: Miami".

Born in New York, Alexander had her first professional breakthrough in the late 1970s when she secured a position as a dancer in Bob Fosse's concert tour, "Dancin'". This marked her first national-level project. She then went on to perform as a dancer in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of "Dreamgirls".

After graduating from the prestigious Alvin Ailey Conservatory, Alexander continued her career as a dancer and choreographer. She had the opportunity to participate in esteemed projects such as the American Music Awards and the Grammy Awards ceremonies. It was during one of these events that she had a fortunate encounter with Whitney Houston, leading to a fruitful four-year collaboration with the multi-platinum star. This resulted in Alexander being appointed as the choreographer for Houston's highly successful concert tour, "I'm Your Baby Tonight".

While dancing and choreography brought her success, Alexander's true passion and dream remained acting. She began her screen career in the mid-1980s with small roles in projects such as "Chorus Line: The Movie" and "Streetwalkin'" with Julie Newmar. In the late 1980s, she landed a recurring role as Terri Stone in the popular comedy series "A Different World".

In 1990, Alexander had to temporarily pause her career due to struggles with addiction. She underwent a rehabilitation program, which was a matter of life and death for her at the time. Returning sober in 1993, Alexander resumed her acting career and appeared in films like "CB4", "Joshua Tree", "Menace II Society", and "House Party 3".

Her breakthrough came a year later when she portrayed the first truly recurring character in the sitcom "NewsRadio" as the sultry and complex radio star Catherine Duke. Although the character was poorly developed and underutilized, Alexander remained as a decorative presence throughout the show's four seasons. However, her unexpected dismissal from the series turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It became evident from the start that she was better suited for dramatic roles, which she confirmed by portraying Erica La Salle's sister in the hit NBC series "ER". Her seven-year experience as Jackie Benton-Robbins earned her praise from fans and positive reviews from critics.

However, it was her portrayal of a cunning yet likable drug addict in the critically acclaimed miniseries "The Corner" that truly solidified Alexander's reputation as a serious actress. From that moment on, she was regarded as a truly talented performer.

In the new millennium, Alexander truly blossomed. In 2002, she joined the cast of "CSI" as Dr. Alex Woods. Initially appearing in the second season of the show, she then transitioned to the spin-off series "CSI: Miami" alongside her longtime partner David Caruso. Currently, Alexander continues to successfully portray this role on the show.