The Atkinson, Southport’s brand new multi art-form venue is delighted to announce that they are bringing Richard Alston’s Dance Company as part of its 2013 spring tour. The world class company’s 10 dancers will perform as part of The Atkinson’s opening season on Thursday 23rd May performing a mixed bill of Unfinished Business, Darknesse Visable, Lachrymae and Roughcut.

Richard Alston, Artistic Director of The Place, the U.K.’s premier centre for contemporary dance, is internationally recognised as one of the most inspiring and influential choreographers in British dance. The company receive critical acclaim the world over from the media and dance lovers, they are renowned for the musicality of the choreography, on their visit to The Atkinson they will bring four pieces including two performed with live music.

Richard Alston’s Unfinished Business is danced to the beautiful, lucid and flowing music of Mozart, played live – the two movements of an unfinished piano sonata, Opus K533. To these, Alston has added an extraordinary arrangement of Mozart’s brilliant Gigue in D by the Italian virtuoso Federico Busoni, creating a third movement and bringing things to a rousing close.

Darknesse Visible  is set to the music of the same name by the composer Thomas Adès. Adès calls it an “explosion” of a seventeenth century lute song by John Dowland, In darkness let me dwell. This solo dance created last Autumn, has been paired as a companion piece to Lachrymae.

Lachrymae, set to the compassionate and tender music of Benjamin Britten for viola and piano, played live, spins emotional variations on a gentle song by John Dowland – quietly but deeply moving.

Richard Alston’s iconic Roughcut  is danced to the peals of Steve Reich’s shimmeringly beautiful New York and Electric Counterpoints, for clarinet and guitar. A euphoric display of pure energy, Roughcut, first performed in 1990, has rarely been revived. If you could take only one piece of dance to a desert island, this would be it.

Emma Lloyd Performing Arts, Marketing and Visitor Services Manager said, “Dance is an important genre for The Atkinson. We are working with Merseyside Dance Initiative to bring more diverse and challenging work into the North West from national and international companies, so that people can be introduced to a whole new experience.”

Tickets for the Richard Alston Dance Company at The Atkinson are priced at £11 with concessions available at £9.    To book tickets call 01704 533333 or book online at www.seftonarts.co.uk.