Solas Dance Theatre

Solas Dance Theatre is a pre-professional contemporary company, though they are extremely versatile, performing ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop as well.  Solas’ first performance was on October 11, 2019, at Owl Creek Pumpkin Patch.  That year the group also presented their short show at several other venues, including  joining with the Alamo City Dance Company for HAUNTED RIVER at the Arneson River Theatre. 

Solas is the brain child of artistic director and primary choreographer Julie Matthews Willis and is a performance group associated with Dance Plus San Antonio.  Ms Willis chose the name Solas because it is the Gaelic word for light.  (Julie loves all things Celtic.)  She hopes the group will bring light to the arts community in San Antonio by filling some gaps.  The versatile group chooses to set shows at non-traditional times.  Additionally, the group offers young dancers an opportunity to perform and experience what it would be like to operate in a professional arena.  Julie also hopes that by combining love for God and love for dance, the group can bring joy and light to those who perform as well as to their audiences.

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After a small and simple beginning, Solas continues to grow.  In 2020, in spite of COVID, Solas presented its first full length show VISIONS OF OCTOBER, a show inspired by Halloween and the fall season. VISIONS has become an annual tradition for the group.  In 2022, the group added A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM to its repertoire, with one indoor performance and one outdoor performance at the Arneson River Theatre.  Solas hopes to continue growing and to attract new audiences each year.

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