08/09/2026
Staff and students of Rambert School are immensely saddened to learn of the passing of Sir Richard Alston CBE.
Richard was a monumental figure in British contemporary dance, whose visionary choreography and commitment to the art form reshaped the dance landscape over a career spanning more than five decades.
During his career, Richard played a pivotal role in the 'Rambert' lineage, firstly as Resident Choreographer in the eighties and later as Artistic Director of Ballet Rambert from 1986 to 1992. During this time, Amanda Britton was performing with the company and was privileged to have a number of roles created for her under his directorship.
Beyond this, Richard’s work at The Place, as Artistic Director of the Richard Alston Dance Company, and as a mentor to countless emerging artists earnt him his place as one of the country’s most celebrated choreographers and teachers.
His immense contributions to the sector were recognised with a CBE in 2001 and a Knighthood in 2019 for services to dance.
Richard was a kind and generous friend to Rambert School, a champion of dance education, and a constant source of inspiration to our students. We feel honoured and privileged to have had many opportunities to work with him over the years, most recently in 2025 when we restaged his pieces Roughcut and Waltzes in Disorder as part of our summer programme.
We can confidently say, his kindness, generosity and incredible knowledge will have had a lasting impact on many Rambert School graduates and his work will continue to live on in our studios and through our students.
Thank you dear Richard.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Richard’s family, friends, and colleagues.
