Richard Alston

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Work for LCDT:

← Robert Cohan as artistic director recognised Alstons voice., which lead to the production of several works for LCDT repertory such as ‘cold’. Works were also tranfered to the LCDT repertory from workshops at ‘The Place’ and ‘Strider’, such as ‘no where slowly’.

← During this time Alston brought dance structure to the foreground-demostrated by a solo he choreographed for fellow student Davies, repeated ten times with the other cast members picked up the dance during the performance.

Characteristics of style:

← Series of episodes

← Overlapping

← Slides shown on screens

← Fast footwork

← Rhythmic energy

← Articulations of torso

← emphasis on flow and efficiency

← physical energy

← release

← graham classs vocab

← Cunningham vocab

← Torso twists, Curve and tilt ( Cunningham)

← Intricate rhythms

← Major difference in use of weight and momentum between him and Cunningham

← Fall and recovery

← Giving in to gravity

← Tai chi (learnt at LSCD)

← Natural momentum

← Organic use of the body

← Relaxed upper body

← Fleet foot work

← lengthening

America:

1975-1977

← He attended classes at Cunningham studios

← Intensive study of ballet

← Adopted the American choreographic style of using exploration his own dancing as a source of movement ideas.

← Made a few works during this period

← Went with Siobhan Davies

← Turning point in his career

- development and aethetics more forcused

- developed dance language

- established a relationship with dance heritage

The early career summary:

1968-1977

← Richard Alston began his career with simply trying to working through in explored ideas!

← Some of his pieces were Cunningham style,

-open ended

-pedestrian movements

← Others more traditional in structure or in evoking emotion/mood

EG Twyla Tharpe.

← Common feature throughout all his works:

- alternative to...