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Richard Alston

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description Richard Alston Overview

Richard Alston is a British choreographer whose work in contemporary dance is closely associated with musical structure and fluid, rhythmically detailed movement. He served as artistic director of Rambert from 1986 to 1992 and subsequently led the Richard Alston Dance Company for more than two decades. His choreography is created for theatrical performance and frequently develops movement in direct conversation with a musical score.

help Richard Alston FAQ

What did Richard Alston do at Rambert?

He was Resident Choreographer of Ballet Rambert from 1980 to 1986, then Artistic Director from 1986 to 1992. During that period he helped steer the company toward abstract contemporary work and Cunningham-influenced technique. [Rambert archive biography](https://rambert.org.uk/about-rambert/rambert-archive/performance-database/people/richard-alston/)

Did Merce Cunningham influence Richard Alston?

Yes. Alston studied at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio in New York in 1975, and Cunningham later created Touchbase for Rambert in 1992. [Richard Alston biography](https://www.richardalstondance.org/biography)

Which named Richard Alston works are linked to Rambert?

Examples include The Rite of Spring: Pictures of Pagan Russia from 1981, Strong Language from 1987, and Pulau Dewata from 1989. Rambert's archive also lists Unrest, which Alston created for the company in 2001 after returning as a guest choreographer. [Rambert works archive](https://rambert.org.uk/about-rambert/rambert-archive/performance-database/people/richard-alston/)

What company did Alston lead after Rambert?

He founded the Richard Alston Dance Company in 1994 after becoming Artistic Director of The Place. The company became the main vehicle for his choreography and touring work after his Rambert years. [Richard Alston biography](https://www.richardalstondance.org/biography)