Kenny Ortega facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenny Ortega
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Ortega in 2019
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Kenneth John Ortega
April 18, 1950 Palo Alto, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Director Producer Choreographer Concert Creator |
| Years active | 1970–present |
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Notable work
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Newsies Hocus Pocus High School Musical Trilogy Michael Jackson's This Is It Descendants Julie and the Phantoms |
| Awards | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (2006) Hollywood Walk of Fame (2019) Disney Legends Hall of Fame (2019) |
Kenneth John Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American director, producer, and choreographer. He is famous for creating many popular movies and TV shows. You might know his work from the High School Musical movies, Hocus Pocus, Newsies, and the Descendants films. He also worked on The Cheetah Girls 2 and the Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms.
Kenny Ortega has choreographed many well-known films from the 1980s. These include Xanadu, St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Dirty Dancing. He has also created concert tours for famous singers like Olivia Newton-John, Cher, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. In 2019, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named a Disney Legend.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Kenny Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California. He went to Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California. While in high school, he was a cheerleader and part of the drama club.
Ortega started his career as an actor. He performed in plays like Oliver! and Hair. Soon after, he began working as a choreographer and director. He choreographed for the band The Tubes for ten years. Later, he worked with singers like Cher and the band KISS on their tours.
Career Highlights
In 1980, Kenny Ortega worked as a choreographer on the movie Xanadu. He learned a lot from the legendary dancer Gene Kelly during this time. Ortega also choreographed several movies directed by John Hughes. These included Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He also choreographed the popular 1987 film Dirty Dancing.
Ortega also choreographed music videos for artists like Madonna ("Material Girl") and Olivia Newton-John ("Physical").
Directing for Disney and Beyond
Kenny Ortega made his debut as a director in 1992 with the Disney musical Newsies. The next year, he directed Hocus Pocus. Both movies became very popular over time, even though they didn't do great at first.
He also worked with Michael Jackson to create and design his "Dangerous World Tour" (1992–1993) and "HIStory World Tour" (1996–1997). Ortega also choreographed big events like the Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, and the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics.
In 2006, Ortega directed and choreographed two Disney Channel Original Movies. These were High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls 2. He returned to direct and choreograph High School Musical 2 in 2007 and High School Musical 3: Senior Year in 2008. These movies became huge hits with young audiences.
In 2009, Ortega directed and choreographed Michael Jackson's "This Is It" concert rehearsals. After Jackson's passing, Ortega directed the concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It. This film was made from the rehearsal footage. He also directed the public memorial for Michael Jackson.
In 2015, Ortega directed and choreographed Descendants for the Disney Channel. This movie was about the children of famous Disney Villains. He also directed its sequels, Descendants 2 in 2017 and Descendants 3 in 2019.
In 2019, Kenny Ortega received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also honored as a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo. That same year, he directed and produced the Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms, which premiered in 2020.
Awards and Recognition
Kenny Ortega has won many awards for his work. He has won several Primetime Emmy Awards for his choreography. He also won Directors Guild of America Awards for directing children's programs. These awards include his work on High School Musical and Descendants.
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (2002, 2006)
- Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs (2006, 2015)
- Hollywood Walk of Fame (2019)
- Disney Legend Award (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Kenny Ortega para niños
