Dancer

Louis Solino was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a teenager he had already achieved nationwide fame as a regular dancer on Dick Clark's legendary TV show "American Bandstand". Later, while studying at Philadelphia's Hedgerow Drama School, he became interested in modern dance and moved to New York to study at the Martha Graham School.

The next few years exposed Louis to some of New York's most extreme avant-garde dancers, including work with the developing Dance Theatre Workshop and Judson Church. He extended his studies to include ballet with the Joffrey School, Alfredo Corvino, Zena Rommett and Maggie Black, and contemporary dance with May O'Donnell, Mary Anthony and Jose Limón.

In 1968 Louis was invited to join the Jose Limón Dance Company for a two week tour that turned into a distinguished 11 year career with the company. As a soloist, he toured with them in the USA, Europe, the Soviet Union and the Middle East, and was noted for his particularly evil Iago in Limón's famous "The Moor's Pavane", which he also danced with Denmark's Erick Bruhn and Ballet West.

Louis returned to his freelance career in 1979 and has worked regularly with dancer / choreographer Paul Jenden since 1980. He has become known as a teacher of the Humphrey / Limón technique and for his careful reconstructions of the choreographies of Doris Humphrey and Jose Limón.

From 1987 to 1998 Solino was the Permanent Modern Tutor at the New Zealand School of Dance.

Louis is best known to Wellington audiences for his beautiful performances in "Fairy Stories" at Circa Theatre and for his roles in the Paul Jenden/Gareth Farr musicals "Troy", "Monarchy", "Rome" and "The Nero Show".