Kenny Ortega

Kenny Ortega (April 18, 1950) is an Emmy award winning producer, director, and choreographer. Initially known for working with famous dancer/choreographer Gene Kelly, such as on the Olivia Newton-John film Xanadu, Ortega went on to his own fame, choreographing the 1987 classic film Dirty Dancing, and he has won awards for choreography in music videos, such as Madonna's "Material Girl". Together with Michael Jackson he created and designed the Dangerous World Tour 1992-1993 and the HIStory World Tour 1996-1997. He has also choreographed many major events such as Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, and multiple Olympics events. He is also known for High School Musical, High School Musical 2, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.

Biography

Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California.He was raised in Redwood City. He attended Sequoia High School from 1964 to 1968. He has two siblings. His paternal grandparents are from Spain.

He choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Atlanta Olympics, High School Musical and High School Musical 2 which starred Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Ashley Tisdale , and Lucas Grabeel along with The Cheetah Girls 2 starring Raven Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, Sabrina Bryan, and Belinda Peregrin He has also directed television episodes for such series as the Gilmore Girls, Ally McBeal, and Chicago Hope, and received another Emmy nomination for an episode of Grounded for Life.

Kenny has staged Las Vegas productions, such as one coordinated with the famous Bellagio fountains, and the Wynn Resort.

Choreography and major projects

• High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
• Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008)
• High School Musical 2 (2007)
• High School Musical: The Concert- Extreme Access Pass-DVD (2007)
• The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006)
• The Boy From Oz (2006)
• High School Musical (2006)
• 72nd Academy Awards (2000)
• HIStory World Tour (1996-1997)
• Super Bowl XXX (1996)
• Newsies (1992)
• Dangerous World Tour (1992-1993)
• Salsa (1988)
• Dirty Dancing (1987)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
• Pretty in Pink (1986)
• Marilyn: An American Fable (1983)

Productions

• Xanadu (1980)
• Newsies (1992)
• Hocus Pocus (1993)
• High School Musical (2006)
• The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006)
• High School Musical 2 (2007)
• The Cheetah Girls One World (formerly "The Cheetah Girls 3: Indian Adventure!") (2008)
• Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008)

External links

• Kenny Ortega at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.wetdesign.com/client/bellagio/biographies/body.html
• http://www.schwartzmanpr.com/agency/KO_ip_PR_bio.asp
• http://www.ipressroom.com/pr/aca/info/Olympics.asp
• http://www.lalines.com/bigfiles/articles/Ortega_Bio.pdf
• http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/01/16/DD168837.DTL
• http://www.sequoiahsalumniassoc.org/news/2005_spring.pdf
• http://hsmusical.org/pressarchive/article19.php
• http://www.myspace.com/official_kenny_ortega