Kenny Ortega Biography

Fast Facts

• At the 2004 American Choreography Awards, he was presented with a career achievement award
• Began his career working with dancer and choreographer Gene Kelly
• Quote: "There's an old Fred Astaire movie where the stage became bigger and deeper and more complex․ Moments like that really did impact on me and influence me․"
• After singer Michael Jackson's death, he took footage from the concert series the two had been preparing for to make the film "Michael Jackson's This Is It" and directed the singer's public memorial
• Worked on many of the hit youth-oriented movies that were released during the 1980s, including "St․ Elmo's Fire," "Dirty Dancing" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off․"
• Best known as the director of Hocus Pocus and the "High School Musical" film series
• Presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to director-choreographer Adam Shankman at the Carnival Choreographer's Ball ninth anniversary show
• If an actor yawned on the set of "High School Musical 2," he required that they donate money to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Utah