lit a candle 1d agoSaw him speak at a conference in San Diego about mature artists and relevance, must have been fifteen years ago now. He was generous and funny and absolutely right. Grateful for that afternoon.
Their story
Sir Richard Alston CBE was a British choreographer whose career helped define a British contemporary dance classicism rooted in musical phrasing, lucid line, and Cunningham-inflected clarity. Born on 30 October 1948 in Sussex, he spent early childhood years in Paris while his father worked for the British Council, remembering Cirque…
Sir Richard Alston CBE was a British choreographer whose career helped define a British contemporary dance classicism rooted in musical phrasing, lucid line, and Cunningham-inflected clarity. Born on 30 October 1948 in Sussex, he spent early childhood years in Paris while his father worked for the British Council, remembering Cirque Medrano not for acrobatic tricks but for people in motion (Guardian, 2019). As a teenager living on the Highgate side of Hampstead Heath he was taken by an older brother to see the Bolshoi at the Royal Festival Hall; Mikhail Fokine's Chopiniana (Les Sylphides) pas de deux "made my heart beat faster," and Fonteyn and Nureyev in Giselle left him in what he later called a trance (Voices of British Ballet transcript; Guardian).
Educated at Eton College, where the school record collection fed his ear and he excelled at ballroom, he left around sixteen and studied fine art and theatre design at Croydon School of Art before committing to dance. He took classes linked to Ballet Rambert and, after seeing Martha Graham's company in London, followed a programme note to Graham-based teaching that fed the new London School of Contemporary Dance and London Contemporary Dance Theatre circle around Robert Cohan and Robin Howard. He choreographed his first work in 1968 (Transit, per Voices; Wikipedia and official bios mark 1968 as the start of his choreographic career) and was among the early LCDT generation.
In 1972 he formed Strider, widely described across official bios as the UK's first independent dance company. About three years later he went to New York to study at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio and with ballet teacher Alfredo Corvino (official biography and Voices prefer arrival about 1975 and return 1977; Wikipedia dates the Cunningham period as 1976). Back in Europe he worked as an independent choreographer and teacher. In 1980 he became resident choreographer of Ballet Rambert; from 1986 to 1992 he was artistic director, creating 25 works for the company and steering the 1987 renaming to Rambert Dance Company. Commissions included Kingdom of Pagodas for the Royal Danish Ballet (1982) and Midsummer for the Royal Ballet (1983). He also made solo works for Michael Clark (Soda Lake; Dutiful Ducks). Creative partnership with Siobhan Davies produced Second Stride (Wikipedia places a 1981 merger of Strider with Davies's group; Voices dates founding Second Stride with Davies and Ian Spink to 1982). He left Rambert in 1992; the Guardian later recorded that he was "politely sacked" at 44, which he contrasted with public assumptions of retirement at 70.
After work in France (including Le Marteau Sans Maitre for Ballet Atlantique, 1992) and a Britten and Stravinsky evening for London Contemporary Dance Theatre at the 1994 Aldeburgh Festival, he became artistic director of The Place in 1994 and launched Richard Alston Dance Company the same year. Over roughly twenty-five years he made more than fifty dances for his company before it folded in March 2020 after Arts Council England funding priorities tied to The Place effectively halved support for his troupe. Alastair Macaulay called the closure "unequivocally the grimmest news for British dance this century" (quoted in Guardian and Dance Magazine). Alston agreed the cut rather than endanger The Place's wider settlement, then closed with farewell seasons including Sadler's Wells and Montclair State University. He relinquished The Place artistic directorship around 2018 (Telegraph interview context) while remaining a prolific freelance maker and Resident Choreographer with New York Theatre Ballet (A Rugged Flourish, 2011, among other works). Later commissions included Ballet Theatre Munich, Ballet Black, Scottish Ballet, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Holland Dance Festival, and a Miami City Ballet Carmen restaging (2015).
Honours accumulated alongside craft: Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1995); CBE (New Year Honours 2001); De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement (Critics' Circle National Dance Awards for 2008, presented 26 January 2009; official bios often say 2008, Voices says 2009); International Theatre Institute Award for Excellence in International Dance (2012); knighthood in the 2019 New Year Honours for Services to Dance. Honorary academic recognition included Doctor of Philosophy (Dance), University of Surrey (1992), and further honorary degrees and MAs noted by Wikipedia and the University of Kent (2015).
In later interviews he spoke frankly about profound hearing loss in the upper register, the title question of the Guardian piece asking who would "let an elderly deaf man loose on their dancers," and insisted artists do not retire. The Richard Alston Foundation (founded 2022; public website push early 2026) works with partners including the V&A and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to preserve film and video archives and remount work in educational settings.
Official statements on richardalstondance.org and richardalstonfoundation.com announced that after a period of ill-health, and despite exceptional treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead and the support of his closest friends, he passed away peacefully at his home on 7 September 2026, aged 77. They asked that he be remembered for wit, warmth, and generosity of spirit as well as for his contribution to contemporary dance, and confirmed that Foundation work continues. He is the British choreographer Sir Richard Alston, not the Australian politician of the same name.
Biography adapted from Wikipedia Richard Alston (choreographer) (CC BY-SA); richardalstondance.org; Foundation; The Place; Voices of British Ballet; Guardian 2019; Dance Magazine 2020; Kent; One Dance UK..
In their own words
“I got this letter in my rather scruffy hallway. When I opened it I just screamed.”
Richard Alston, Guardian interview by Lyndsey Winship, 27 February 2019, on the knighthood letter, amid the company funding crisis.
“I knew that if I didn't agree to do this, there was a threat that the Place would not get its funding.”
Richard Alston, same Guardian interview, 27 February 2019, on accepting the Arts Council England-driven cut that ended his company in order to protect The Place.
“I decided, this is what I want to do, put my pencil down and put on some tights and get moving.”
Richard Alston, Guardian interview, 27 February 2019, recalling the shift from art school toward dance.
“Drink it fast whilst it's still laughing at you”
Richard Alston, Voices of British Ballet oral-history transcript, citing Savoy cocktail master Harry Craddock and applying the line as his motto for movement.
“I don't get stuck... I work with music.”
Richard Alston, Voices of British Ballet interview, advice to young choreographers who get stuck.
“I'm determined to do what I possibly can to not only shine on as a choreographer, but also for the dancers to shine on.”
Richard Alston, Dance Magazine, March 2020, around the final company work Shine On and the farewell tour.
“wit, warmth, and generosity of spirit”
Official death notices on richardalstondance.org and richardalstonfoundation.com, September 2026, asked that he be remembered for wit, warmth, and generosity of spirit as well as for his contribution to contemporary dance.
“unequivocally the grimmest news for British dance this century”
Alastair Macaulay, quoted in the Guardian and Dance Magazine, on the Richard Alston Dance Company closure. Third-person critical reaction to the 2019-20 funding decision, not a quote by Alston.
“Alston at the top of his game.”
Debra Craine, The Times, cited on the richardalstondance.org biography (April 2018).
Photos
4The Place building, Duke's Road, London WC1. This is a photograph of the building, not a portrait of Sir Richard Alston.
by People Forever
Rambert Dance Company building and rehearsal studios, Chiswick. Place photo of the building, not a portrait of him.
by People Forever
Eton College buildings, Windsor, Berkshire. Place photo of the school, not a portrait of him.
by People Forever
Ballet Rambert blue plaque, Ladbroke Road, London. Plaque photo, not a portrait of him.
by People Forever
That's a beautiful memory to carry.