Richard Alston Flashcards
Where did he train?
London Contemporary Dance School.
What did he do in 1975
Went to NY to study at Merce Cunningham Dance Studio for 2 years.
Rejected the Graham style.
How does Alston start his works?
He always uses music as a starting point for his dancers and linked to “weld his steps to the music”. This is quite unique for British modern dance, as more experimenting was done with accompaniment
Key works of his?
Soda Lake, 1981, Rambert Repertoire (1986).
Wildlife, 1984, created at Rambert.
Strong Language, 1987
Alstons career?
1980 - he was appointed resident choreographer with Ballet Rambert.
1981 - his company ‘Strider’ merged with Siobhan Davies company to form ‘Second Strider’
Choreographic Approach - Technique (Individual movement factor): Cunningham technique?
> Articulation of spine
Multi-directional (decentralisation of space)
Extremes in use of speed
A-sexual in nature
Fast footwork (ballet bottom, modern top)
Choreographic Approach - Technique?
Momentum and impetus (back/hip).
Release, suspension, fall and recovery, use of breath.
Cultural/historic references, styles/technique
Choreographic Approach - Movement Style?
- Lyrical/Lyricism
- Continuous/Fluid
- Musicality
- Motion nor emotion / bodies moving in time / space
- Formalism / structure is defined
- Complexity of structure and form
- Ballet’s codified steps significant part of his work
- Many Fulkerson (release technique)
- Speed, lightness, clarity of shape
Choreographic Approach - Choreographic Style?
- Collaboration (dancers, designers, composers)
- Musical understanding used as inspiration for the movement
- Abstract dance, devoid of meaning and emotion
- Sympathetic use of body. Uses the skills of his dancers
What is soda lake about?
It is about the minimalistic nature of the Mojave dessert.
Why is soda lake performed in slience?
- to create a sense of stillness and calm.
- Was originally going to have music by Nigel Osbourne but he felt that the piece was complete in itself and that music would detract from the work and not enhance it.
- Wanted to match the limited landscape of the lake.
Why is soda lake important for collaboration?
contributed an important collaboration between the music, dance and design. In soda Lake he worked with Nigel Hall who created the Soda Lake sculpture. Soda Lake shows Alstons collaboration as the movement and accompanient links to both the sculpture aswell as the actual lake.
Alstons contribution to Rambert?
- Alston’s period as artistic director was during an economic recession, which hit ticket sales for dance badly. Thus, although creatively the
company was developing and thriving, in the economic climate of the time this did not create a financially stable position.
2.
What is wildlife about?
The piece explores an imaginary Kingdom which is helped portrayed by two mobiles of vibrantly coloured fabrics stretched across silver rods
