Richard Alston Works

• When did Soda Lake get given to Rambert?

  1986
• who was the designer for soda lake?

  Nigel Hall
• Who did they try contact to do the music?

  Nigel Osbourne
• Why was the sculpture so important to Alston?

  His training and passion for art which he studied at college
• Why did Nigel Osbourne refuse to do the music?

  To match limited landscape of the actual lake and the emptiness
• Key Motifs of Soda Lake?

  lying on one side

  Big Bird- dancer had arms straight, curved in development.

  The Sentinel- knees with arm out infront, developed so travelling fast, travelling slowly, no travel, reached out behind.

  Turning Sissone- changes direction second time dancer does it.
• Why was soda lake a solo?

  to create a relationship with sculpture
• what was the costume for soda lake?

  bare foot, sleeveless black top and black trousers to reflect sculpture

  Allows audience to see body lines
• When was Pulcinella created?

  1987
• who did the design for pulcinella?

  Howard Hodgkin
• Who did the music for Pulcinella?

  Igor Stravinsky
• What is the style for pulcinella?

  Ballet

  commedia dell’arte
• Why was commedia dell’arte good?

  tells simple stories, mimes for low english levels
• When was wildlife created?

  1984. Original for Rambert
• Who was the composer for Wildlife?

  Nigel Osbourne
• Who was the designer for Wildlife?

  Richard Smith
• What was the style of Wildlife?

  Ballet

  cunnigham
• What was the structure used to create music in Wildlife?

  3-Strand Approach.

  conversational approach

  made small snippets (15 seconds)
• What does the music not represent in wildlife?

  specific animals in wildlife. although bird section does sound flitty
• When was strong language created for Rambert?

  1987
• Who was the composer for strong language?

  John Marc Gowans
• Who did the costume for Strong Language?

  Katherine Hamnett
• Dance for Camera for Strong Language?

  Camera angles, Slow motion, split screen. Explores nature of duets and relationships instead of focusing on sculpture.
• what was the music like for strong language?

  electronic sounds with natural sounds (running water, bottles)

  Send over small snippets of music and Alston would start choreographing. Had to go on counts
• Who did the lighting for Wildlife?

  Peter Mumford
• Why was wildlife created?

  Alston was interested in sounds from different nations. Fascinated by different cultures. In the dance he imagines the folk and tribes people dancing. Wanted the music and sculptures to represent what nature is all about through abstract movement.
• What is the set for wildlife?

  Large hanging kites, resembled jungle, rotate and move up and down. Influenced the way the choreography was developed. 3-Strand Approach.

  The dancers reflect the kites making angular and sharp shapes.
• What was the music like for wildlife?

  Western instruments, reflected native music, nature.
• What is the costume for Wildlife?

  Block unitards, geometric shapes. Pink, yellow, green and blue. Shapes reflect the kites' angular shapes and tight fit meant audience could see the shapes and curves made by dancers.
• How do we see Alston's style in wildlife?

  Cunningham- arches, tilts and curves

  Ballet- plies, coupe de pied and long arm lines.
• Who did the lighting for Strong Language?

  Peter Mumford
• What was the lighting like for Strong Language?

  Blue, red, yellow wash. dark stage with pink cyclorama and grey and blue lights. Plays an important part as it influences visual impact on dance.
• Movement style in Strong Language?

  leaps, kicks, lunges, turns, calypsos. Actions reflect lighting and music. Red light- sharper movement. Blue fresh- flowy movements.

  Counterbalance and leans in central duet.
• What is the costume for Strong Language?

  all black. garments vary. core duet- female wears fitted shorts. Other sections- long flowy dresses on females. males wear vest and trousers, Some sections there are jackets and boleros.
• The sculpture influenced the movement in soda lake.
• When was the original Soda Lake?

  1981
• What are the three soda lakes?

  A desert, A sculpture, A dance
• The structure of Soda Lake

  1. floorbound
  2. tracing the shape
  3. traveling
  4. epilogue (focus on sculpture)
• What was the sculpture for Soda Lake?

  Rod with hoop at top. diagonal angle. vertical rod at the side.
• Who did the lighting for Pulcinella?

  Peter Mumford