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Richard Alston - Coggle Diagram
Richard Alston
Approach/Style
always uses music as a starting point for his dances, and liked to “weld his steps to the music” (i.e a direct correlation between dance and movement)
This was quite unique at the time for British modern dance, as more experimenting was done with accompaniment.
Approach
Open to adapting dances to work better with the dancers- added predominant moves from both classical and modern, quick turns etc
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Took notice of skills from dancers - classical training. He added lines, fast turns and small steps. How the company influenced his work. He influenced them by teaching modern - not just Cunningham dancers. He added 2 modern lessons when he joined.
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Alston would choreograph the pieces very quickly but would spend a lot of time on stage trying to make the dances clearer to the audience
Alston liked to experiment with different ways of using weight placement, momentums and highlights
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Curves, tilts, detailed steps
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'Alston uses more weight, breath and flow, resulting in lilting (swing), fluid quality enlivened by clear shapes and rhythms'
Influences
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Use of Aural setting “see the music, hear the dancing”
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Training
Founded Strider in 1972 after receiving the Gulbenkian Dance Award. (co-operative, experimental work, 1st independent company to come out of LSCD)
Richard Alston and Dancers taught Cunningham class at Action Space in London, where he met many of his dancers including Siobhan Davies and Ian Spink
Taught experimental composition classes at LCDS in 1967. In 1968 he choreographed his first dance ‘Transit’ for students at LCDS.
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In 1973 he took up a Strider residency at Dartington College of Arts (Mary Fulkerson was there and she was a pioneer of the release technique
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1975 Studied for two years in New York (Cunningham studios, saw varied styles including Astaire, Bournonville, Post Modern and Classical). Training here taught Alston to jump and to perform at speed.
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In 1967 he Joined London School of Contemporary Dance (Graham, Ballet, Historical Dance and Choreography)
Works
'Wildlife' (1984)
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True collab (dancers, set, music)
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Strider (1972-1975)
By 1974 the ethos of LSCD had changed; it became more structured due to numbers; greater focus on technique to support LCDT
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They explored weight, shapes and simple gestures
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“If Cunningham brought movement per se to light, they re-examined it and set it in new contexts. It is this kind of work, of which we aim to be part”
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Began with Cunninghan inspired vocab., then introdused inward focus, extensive use of floor and contact improv. from 1973
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