FREE EVENT as part of DTSB First Fridays!  Will take place in the venue, suite 135.

First Fridays at Merrimans’ Playhouse! Festivities October 7th from 5:00 - 9:00. Join us for a Celebration of Dance and Music! 

"Fall Frolic Fiesta"

A fiery, passionate, and colorful flamenco dance and music performance will be presented by Spanish Rose Dance Studio, hosted by Merrimans’ Playhouse. This exciting event will take place at Merrimans’ Playhouse. Learn more about Flamenco Dance! There will be flamenco dancers, and live music presented by Bryan Edington on guitar and guests, as well as Merrimans’ Play-House Players. Come join the fun!!!

Dr. Carolynn Hine-Johnson (Carolina) is nationally renowned for her expertise as a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. Her mother, a former professional dancer in Chicago, inspired Carolynn with her love of dance. After studying with her mother, she went to NYC where she studied ballet at American Ballet Theater. In 1972, she opened her first school, Ballet Academy of Performing Arts (home of the Beaux Arts Ballet Company, Inc.) in South Bend, IN. During this time she enjoyed teaching at her school and performing throughout the United States.

In 1989, Carolynn moved to Philadelphia where she studied dance at Temple University. During this time she also studied flamenco dance with Dolores Gmitter. After completing her course work (but still working on her dissertation), she moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia and studied flamenco, classical Spanish dance and escuela bolera with Victoria Flores Cooke. Also during this time, she toured the East Coast performing ballet and Spanish dance with her late husband, Scott Johnson.

https://www.spanishrosedancestudio.com/

Carolynn moved back to South Bend in 1997 and opened another school (Arts Alive Academy). She finally finished her dissertation and received her Doctorate degree in Dance Education from Temple University in 1999. In 2010, she was hired by Dr. Marvin Curtis (Dean of the Raclin School of Performing Arts) at IUSB, to create and be in charge of a Dance Program. She created and implemented a Dance Minor, hired 6 instructors and taught dance classes and arranged student dance concerts. She also created a BFA in Dance that will hopefully, be implemented in the near future.

January 2011, Carolynn lost her husband, Scott Johnson. In 2013, she met Bryan Edington (Composer/ Musician) and they married in 2015. Retiring from IUSB 2019, she began teaching in her home studio. When COVID hit, she was determined to keep her students and herself dancing. So, during the summer and fall, she taught classes in the backyard of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church. During the winter, she taught classes in their fellowship hall. Currently, she teaches in her home dance studio.

Carolynn has a passion for helping people to feel the joy of dance. All her life she has been very blessed with this beautiful art form and wants to share it with others. Carolynn believes that dancers and teachers can benefit by continuing to study and improve their craft. So, Carolynn is taking online classes with Paloma Gomez in Madrid, Spain. Bryan composes music for Carolynn’s choreography.