Richard Alston passes away
Renowned British choreographer Richard Alston has passed away, his website announced.
"It is with deep sadness that we have to report the death of Sir Richard Alston. After a period of ill-health, and despite exceptional treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead and the support of his closest friends, he passed away peacefully at his home on 7th September (2026)," the website said.
According to his website, Sir Richard was born in 1948. He choreographed his first work in 1968 and formed Strider, the UK's first independent dance group, in 1972. He started working with Rambert in 1980 and became the artistic director of the company in 1986 and remained in the position until 1992. In 1994, he launched the eponymous Richard Alston Dance Company, which was literally everyone's favourite but became defunct later due to the discontinuation of the government funding. In the same year, he became the artistic director of The Place, which is the dance hub of London to this day.
Sir Richard also produced and staged various choreographies for companies including Ballet Black, Scottish Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Phoenix Dance Theatre and numerous others.
He was made Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1995 and was awarded the CBE in the New Year Honours list of 2001 in the United Kingdom.
Some of Sir Richard's works can be watched on his website and his YouTube Channel.
