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Kenny Ortega

 
Director: Kenny Ortega
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: in Palo Alto, California
  • Occupation: Director, Writer, Actor
  • Active: '80s-2000s
  • Major Genres: Musical, Music
  • Career Highlights: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Dirty Dancing, Pretty in Pink
  • First Major Screen Credit: Xanadu (1980)

Biography

California-born dancer and choreographer Kenny Ortega had stage and television experience before working on his first feature film, The Rose (1979) and the Olivia Newton-John/Gene Kelly disco-era musical Xanadu (1980). During the '80s, he was associated with some of the biggest hits of the decade, especially among "youth" movies of the period -- One from the Heart (1982), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off (both 1986), and the monster hit Dirty Dancing (1987). After co-producing Salsa (1988), he turned to directing with Newsies, the Disney organization's ill-fated 1992 attempt to revive the movie-musical genre, and Hocus Pocus (1993). Though Ortega would continue to serve as a choreographer in film and television thought the 1990s (including To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar), his career was geared increasingly towards directing for television during the millennial turnover, with frequent work in such popular series' as Chicago Hope, Grounded for Life, Ally McBeal, and The Gilmore Girls comprising the majority of his credits. After scoring a direct hit in 1996 as both choreographer and director of High School Musical (the higest rated movie in Disney Channel history at the time), Ortega would step back behind the camera to tell the tale of a group of young female singers determined to make the big-time in the musical comedy }@Disney Channel} sequel The Cheetah Girls 2. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
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Wikipedia: Kenny Ortega
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Kenny Ortega
Born Kenneth John Ortega
April 18, 1950 (1950-04-18) (age 59)
Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Occupation Television and film director, producer, choreographer
Years active 1980–present
Official website

Kenneth John "Kenny" Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American producer, director, and choreographer. He is known for directing the High School Musical series and Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Tour.[1]

Contents

Life and career

Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California. His paternal grandparents were Spanish.[2] Initially known for working with dancer and choreographer Gene Kelly on the film Xanadu, Ortega went on to choreographing the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and has won awards for choreography in music videos, such as Madonna's "Material Girl". Ortega directed Billy Squier's "Rock Me Tonite" video. Together with Michael Jackson, he created and designed the Dangerous World Tour 1992-1993 and the HIStory World Tour 1996-1997. He choreographed major events such as Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, the 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta) and the 2002 Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City).[3] In addition to choreography, Ortega has directed High School Musical, High School Musical 2, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and was choreographer of the The Cheetah Girls 2.

In May 2009, Ortega began work on the scheduled Michael Jackson 50-date This Is It concert tour, which was cancelled subsequent to Jackson's sudden death.[4] He directed the concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It which was put together from rehearsal footage recorded at the Los Angeles Forum and the Staples Center. The film was released on October 28.

Ortega directed the Michael Jackson Public Memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles memorial service, which was broadcast live on several networks on July 7, 2009. It reached a television audience of 31 million in America, and hundreds of millions more worldwide and via the internet.[5] At the end of the service, he introduced a rendition of Jackson's 1985 charity single "We Are the World" created for the This Is It concerts, featuring Jackson's backing singers on lead vocals with his dancers performing around them.

He was set to direct the Footloose remake starring Gossip Girl actor, Chace Crawford, but dropped out in October 2009.[6]

In 2008 Ortega was regarded as one of the most powerful and influential Hispanics in entertainment.[7]

Filmography and concerts

Film
Year Film Notes
1985 St. Elmo's Fire Choreographer
1986 Pretty in Pink Choreographer
Ferris Bueller's Day Off Choreographer
1987 Dirty Dancing Choreographer
1988 Salsa Choreographer
1989 Shag Choreographer
1992 Newsies Choreographer, Director
1993 Hocus Pocus Director
1995 To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Choreographer
2006 High School Musical Choreographer, Director
2006 The Cheetah Girls 2 Choreographer, Director
2007 High School Musical 2 Choreographer, Director
2008 High School Musical 3: Senior Year Choreographer, Director
2008 Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Choreographer
2009 Michael Jackson's This Is It Choreographer, Director
Television
Year Title Notes
1988 Dirty Dancing Director, 2 episodes
1990 Hull High Choreographer, director, 2 episodes
1996 Second Noah Director, 1 episode
1998-1999 Chicago Hope Director, 2 episodes
2000 Resurrection Blvd. Director, 1 episode
2001 Grounded for Life Director, 1 episode
2001-2001 Ally McBeal Director, 3 episodes
2002-2006 Gilmore Girls Director, 12 episodes
Concerts
Year Title Notes
1992-1993 Michael Jackson's Dangerous World Tour Director
1996-1997 Michael Jackson's HIStory World Tour" Director
2006~2007 High School Musical: The Concert" Director
2009 Michael Jackson's This Is It Tour Director

Awards

Year Award Category
2008 ALMA Award Special Achievement Award – Outstanding Director[8][9]
2009 National Association of Latino Independent Producers Outstanding Achievement Award[10]

References

  1. ^ Kenny Ortega Interview, Michael Jackson's This Is It.
  2. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2008/10/23/2008-10-23_kenny_ortega_the_man_behind_every_step_o.html
  3. ^ "Kenny Ortega: Biography". http://www.lalines.com/bigfiles/articles/Ortega_Bio.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-15. 
  4. ^ "Michael Jackson Gets Ready For Tour". news.sky.com. 2009-05-12. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Michael-Jackson-Auditions-Dancers-For-Tour-And-Works-With-Director/Article/200905215280285. 
  5. ^ "Michael Jackson's memorial 2nd most-watched funeral ever, after Princess Di, say Nielsen ratings". nydailynews.com. 200 9-07-08. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael_jackson/2009/07/08/2009-07-08_michael_jacksons_memorial_2nd_mostwatched_funeral_ever_after_princess_di_say_nie.html. 
  6. ^ Footloose Remake Loses Its Director News in Film
  7. ^ Most powerful and influential Hispanics in entertainment
  8. ^ ALMA Awards Special Achievement Award –Outstanding Director
  9. ^ Kenny-Ortega and Roselyn-Sanchez at Alma Awards
  10. ^ Outstanding Achievement Award

External links

v • d • e
Films directed by Kenny Ortega
v • d • e
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography

Jim Moore / George Pinney / Jon Vanderkolff (2001) · Doug Jack / Sarah Kawahara / Kenny Ortega / Debra Brown (2002) · Sandra Bezic / A.C. Ciulla / Christopher Dean / Jamie Isley / Michael Seibert (2003) · Jason Samuels Smith (2004) · Christopher Dean (2005) · Charles Klapow / Kenny Ortega / Bonnie Story (2006) · Wade Robson / Mia Michaels / Rob Marshall / John Deluca (2007) · Wade Robson (2008) · Rob Ashford / Tyce Diorio (2009)


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Learn More
Footloose (2009 Musical Film)
High School Musical 2 (2007 Musical Film)
Newsies (1992 Musical Film)

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