Definitely not a household name here, but in England Richard Alston has been a major player on the contemporary dance scene for nearly 30 years as a choreographer, director of the Rambert Dance Company and, since 1994, director of his own eponymous troupe. RADC made a splash with its New York debut in 2004, but until now the closest it had come to L.A. was a brief stay in Orange County. Local audiences have two chances to encounter Alston’s highly musical repertoire, a choreography style frequently described as lyrical and sculptural. Both venues offer the same program: Alston’s Fingerprint, set to piano music by J.S. Bach played live; About-Face, choreographed by company dancer Martin Lawrance to music from Marin Marais; and Alston’s signature work, Gypsy Mixture, set to Balkan music with a techno glaze. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr., Cerritos; Fri., Sept. 28, 8 p.m.; $22.50-$37. (562) 467-8818 or www.cerritoscenter.com. Also at Pepperdine University, Smothers Theater, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu; Tues., Oct. 2, 8 p.m.; $40. (310) 506-4522 or www.pepperdine.edu/arts.

—Ann Haskins

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