Alston - key knowledge (context) Flashcards
How did the company change as Alston replaced North as Artistic Director?
-More abstract
-Use of Cunningham technique
-Austere
-Neo-classical
-Streamlined focus/vision
-Architectural - influence of design
What key work was brought into the repertoire in 1986?
Soda Lake, using Nigel Hall’s minimalistic sculpture
Which early choreographers work was performed in 1991?
‘Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain’ by Tetley - plotless work which fitted into Alston’s choreographic style and it was quite an abstract piece
What Trisha Brown work was included in the repertoire in 1989 and why was it significant?
This was Opal Loop - it was significant because it was the first time dancers that did not belong in her company performed her dance
What was the content of the statement that was released when Alston took over as Artistic Director?
His works do not belong to a particular storyline and that movement is the most important thing, the focus
Who left the company in 1987 and what marked the event?
Christopher Bruce to pursue an international career and there was a full evening dedicated to the performance of some of his key works
Who was associate choreographer 1989-1993?
Chivon Davies - similar style to Alston - post modern
Rambert performed in Cunningham’s Touchbase in 1992, why was this significant?
It was based on the computer software, life forms
Why was Alston a good choice to take over as Artistic Director?
-Alston believed Rambert set a good example for courage and to experiment
-North was a populist - played it safe
-Alston also had a lot of experience, with being choreographer of the company already, he also had his own dance school in the past - Strider - had leadership qualities
When and why did the company change its name?
The company changed its name in 1987 as it was no longer just a ballet school
What key initiative was revived with number 5 and where was it held?
This was a collaboration project that was held at the riverside rather than the previous place which was the Jeanetta Cochrane - based around music and design - Alston also wanted to bring the collaborations back (paused at North)
When Alston left Rambert what happened to the company?
The company made lots of redundancies leaving only a few dancers and choreographers - it relaunched with Christopher Bruce and 25 dancers
How does Alston use music?
-He is very musical and uses it as a starting point
-He looks for happy accents in the music which makes him different to Cunningham
How does Alston describe his use of spatial design?
-Like ‘drawing in the air’
-Drive through/skim through space
-In a lot of his dances, the design is interactive with the dancers
What other practitioners were in the Rambert repertoire (and key works)?
-Touch Base by Cunningham - big opportunity for British dancers - used life forms
-Opal Loop - Trisha Brown - post-modernist and part of the Judson Church group - in this dance it was described they were dancing in an ‘indoor cloud’ - experimental - quartet
-Siobhan Davies - house style - ‘Embarque’
