Kenny Ortega

Kenneth John Ortega is the director, choreographer and driving force behind one of the most successful franchises in recent TV and music history: Disney's High School Musical. The 57-year-old Ortega is responsible for some of the most memorable dance sequences of the last 25 years: Madonna's video for Material Girl, the dancing in Dirty Dancing, and the parade scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Add choreography credits for Super Bowl XXX's halftime show, the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics and tours by Gloria Estefan, Michael Jackson and Barbara Streisand, and it's easy to see why Ortega is the go-to guy for extra-extravaganzas.

Born in 1950, Ortega started performing in plays and musicals at age 13 in his hometown of Redwood City, California. By age 16, his aunt was driving him down to L.A. on a regular basis so he could audition for musicals, eventually landing a role in the psychedelic classic Hair. In the mid-'70s, Cher invited Ortega to choreograph her TV special after seeing his work with new wave San Francisco band The Tubes. He made his name with music videos and movies in the 80s before getting offered a directing gig with Disney in the early 90's. The cheezy Newsies, Ortega's directorial debut and first movie musical, failed to make a dent in the box office, but his next feature, Hocus Pocus was well-received. Ortega then jumped to directing TV with episodes of Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope and Gilmore Girls. His second made-for-TV movie, The Cheetah Girls 2, set in Spain and featuring Mexican pop star Belinda, was both a critical and commercial success for Disney, for whom he famously launched the High School Musical juggernaut.

Earlier this year, The Hollywood Reporter recognized Ortega as one of 50 Latino power players. While Ortega's Latino heritage is rarely on display, he has received numerous awards from Hispanic organizations and readily admits it helped make him who he is today: “[t]he food, the music, the people, it shaped who I am… I wasn't born in Mexico or Spain but I certainly sucked it up."