Carmen Aurora Callanan

Carmen was born April 8th, 1936, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. An only child, she moved at age three with her mother, Araminda Huete, to New York City, where she would discover her life-long passion for dance.

Her training began at the Metropolitan Opera School of Dance and the Ballet Arts in Carnegie Hall and included an invitation to join the Jose Greco Company as a student, learning their repertoire while they were in New York. By the age of 17, she was touring nationally and internationally with the Ximenez and Vargas Spanish Ballet Company.

She was invited to dance with the Great Escudero during his last U.S. tour, which culminated in a two-month concert engagement at the Supper Club of the Grand Plaza Hotel in New York. She appeared with the Cleveland Symphony, in Summer Stock at Jacobs Pillow, at the Waldorf Astoria, the Concord Hotels, and the Bell Telephone Hour. She danced in a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth during Her Majesty’s visit to Vancouver, and shared the stage with Peggy Lee, the Maguire Sisters, Rowan & Martin, and Eartha Kitt.

Carmen was also a choreographer, composing dance performances for the Stamford Connecticut Opera Company’s production of Carmen, and The Russell Frato Connecticut Ballet.

Carmen married Skip Callanan in 1959. They established themselves as quite a glamourous couple, she being a starlet Flamenco dancer and he being a formidable racing car driver who was once named Road and Track foremost up and coming chauffer. Their many adventures together included cars that most people will only ever see in magazines, dinners with celebrity car enthusiasts, and many hours on pit row at some of the country’s most notable road courses. There was also the time Carmen stomped on Jay Leno’s foot while dodging the crowd at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’ Elegance.

Carmen moved to Winter Park in 1970 with Skip, her mother, and her three children. Her involvement in the Central Florida dance community included teaching and performing, as well as choreography for two Orlando Lyric Opera productions and performances at Epcot.

A devoted Catholic, Carmen was deeply involved with Saint Margaret Mary church and its community. She is survived by her son Kevin Callanan of Winter Park, Alicia Callanan Mandigo of Winter Park, Greg Callanan of Gayton, Georgia, and her four grandchildren, Ansley, Peyton, Ryan, and Caelan.

A funeral mass for Carmen will be held Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Following the funeral mass will be an inurnment service from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Palm Cemetery, 1005 N New York Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789.