SAD NEWS: BBC star d!es at home as devastated tributes pour in for ‘extraordinary artist’
A BBC star and dance legend has passed away.
BBC star and dance legend Richard Alston has d!ed (Image: -)
A dance legend and BBC star has d!ed aged 77. His death was shared by his Instagram page, which shared a poignant tribute, with the star dying “peacefully” at home on September 7 following a period of ill-health. He had received treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London. The tribute read: “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.
“While Richard is best known for his extraordinary career and contribution to contemporary dance, we will also remember him for his wit, warmth, and generosity of spirit. The work of the Richard Alston Foundation will continue to ensure that the legacy of this seminal dance artist and choreographer can continue to inspire future generations.”
He was best known for his choreography work for The Place and London Contemporary Dance School, as well as establishing the Richard Alston Dance Company.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Alston created more than 200 dances and appeared in the 1994 BBC Television documentary 40 Years of Dance.
In 2002, the BBC also commissioned Alston to choreograph excerpts from The Rite of Spring for their Masterworks series.
His death came six years after his revered dance company was disbanded after decades of providing contemporary and cutting-edge dance and choreography.
At the time, he told website Ox in a Box: “In the words of TS Eliot, I wanted to go out with a bang, not a whimper. And that’s exactly what we are doing. I’m very, very proud of the pieces and the company as a whole. It’s as good as it’s ever been, and that’s the right way to go.”
Tributes have poured in, as Laura Nicholson, Interim Chief Executive and Head of Children and Young People’s Dance, said: “Sir Richard took young people’s ideas seriously. To him, they were not students to be corrected, but artists in development whose work deserved thorough thought and attention. His generosity, kindness and genuine interest in every young person he met made a lasting impression. We were incredibly privileged to work with him, and we will work hard to honour his memory.”
Dance teacher Akram Khan penned on Facebook: “I am saddened to hear of Richard Alston’s passing. Like so many of us, I grew to know Richard as a student, looking up to him as I began to find my own way in contemporary dance. A pioneer of the form yet in every encounter, I was met with such kindness and encouragement. It feels particularly meaningful now that Angela Towler, Chris Tudor and Isabel Tamen are such an important part of Akram Khan Company.
“They each danced for Richard and through them, I feel connected to the world I first encountered as a student – a world Richard helped to define. It is now our collective responsibility to ensure that the legacy of these great leaders of British contemporary dance continues to inspire and is passed on.”
