British choreographer and director Sir Richard Alston CBE (30 October 1948–7 September 2026) has died peacefully at the age of 77 at his home after a period of ill health. Primarily known for his prolific choreography, he was also artistic director of Ballet Rambert from 1986 to 1992, having served as resident choreographer from 1980.
Educated at Eton College, Alston trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, later going on to choreograph for London Contemporary Dance Theatre. In the mid-1970s, he studied with Merce Cunningham in New York.
Other ventures included forming his own company, Strider (1972) which then merged with Siobhan Davies’ company Siobhan Davies and Dancers to form Second Stride in 1981. While the main body of his creations in the 1980s was for Rambert, he also briefly worked with the Royal Danish Ballet and The Royal Ballet. Among his most enduring works are two solos for Michael Clark (Soda Lake in 1981 and Dutiful Ducks in 1982), which are both still performed today.
In 1994, when Alston took up the post of artistic director at The Place, he also formed the Richard Alston Dance Company, creating over 50 pieces for the company. In 2004, the company made its New York debut at The Joyce Theater and continued to tour extensively both in the UK and internationally until 2020, when the company closed due to funding issues.
He was appointed a CBE in 2001 and knighted in 2019 for Services to Dance. He received the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in 2008.
Revered by generations of dancers and choreographers, Alston was noted for his exceptional musicality, his pioneering attitude toward innovation and exploration, and his determination to champion young students and professionals. Above all, he was known for his kindness, warmth and sense of humour. He leaves a huge legacy in British dance and a body of extraordinary works that will speak for generations to come.
