Sir Richard Alston, Pioneering British Choreographer, Dies at 77

Sir Richard Alston passed away peacefully at his home on September 7 after a period of ill-health and treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead.

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Born in Sussex in 1948, Alston left Eton at 16 to study fine art and theatre design at Croydon School of Art. Inspired by Frederick Ashton’s *La Fille Mal Gardée*, he began dance classes at the London School of Contemporary Dance in 1967. He choreographed his first work, *Transit*, in 1968 and co-founded the experimental group Strider in 1972, which presented 60 short works before disbanding in 1975.

The Guardian

Alston’s early career was shaped by studies in New York with Merce Cunningham, whose abstract approach influenced Alston’s emerging “Alstony” style—characterised by lyrical elegance, compositional clarity and a strong musical partnership.

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• 1968 – First choreographic work, *Transit*

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• 1972 – Forms Strider, an avant-garde collective

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• 1977 – Returns to the UK, refines his voice integrating music and design

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• 1980 – Becomes resident choreographer at Ballet Rambert (later Rambert)

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• 1986-1992 – Serves as artistic director of Rambert, creating 25 works

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• 1994 – Launches the Richard Alston Dance Company and becomes artistic director of The Place

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• 1995 – Awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France)

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• 2001 – Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

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• 2008 – Receives the De Valois award for outstanding achievement

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• 2019 – Knighted for services to dance

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• 2020 – Company closes due to funding cuts

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• September 7, 2026 – Death announced

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• More than 50 pieces created for the Richard Alston Dance Company

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• 25 works produced for Rambert during his directorship

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• Worked with over 60 short pieces through Strider (1972-1975)

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• Collaborated with composers ranging from Brahms and Ligeti to Steve Reich and contemporary jazz artists

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Alston’s “extraordinary musicality” reshaped British contemporary dance, establishing a model where music is an equal partner rather than a backdrop. The term “Alstony” remains shorthand for his distinctive movement quality, and his pedagogical legacy persists through the Richard Alston Foundation and former students who now lead companies worldwide.

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• “Like so many of us, I grew to know Richard as a student, looking up to him as I began to find my own way in contemporary dance,” — Akram Khan

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• “Richard stands among the defining artists of our 100-year history,” — the company

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Colleagues highlighted his mentorship, noting his role as chair of Youth Dance England and his outreach through the Richard Alston Dance Company. Even as his hearing declined in later years, Alston remained an active creator, teacher and mentor up to his final months.

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Alston’s contributions earned him a knighthood, the French Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a CBE and the De Valois award. He is survived by cousins Gill, Gay and Heather. His influence endures in the repertoire of British contemporary dance, the continued use of “Alstony” technique in studios, and the ongoing work of the foundation that safeguards his choreographic archive.

The Guardian