Background

Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California. Ortega is the son of Madeline, a waitress, and Octavio "Tibby" Ortega, a factory worker from Redwood City.

Education

He attended Sequoia High School (Redwood City, California).

Career

He also worked with The Tubes on their stage shows and directed the video for She"s a Beauty. Ortega directed Billy Squier"s "Rock Maine Tonite" video, which is often cited as the worst music promo clip ever made and has been blamed by Squier for killing his career. 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 events ranging from Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy, the 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta) and the 2002 Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City).

In addition, Ortega has directed and choreographed High School Musical, High School Musical 2, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and was choreographer of The Cheetah Girls 2. In May 2009, Ortega began work on the scheduled Michael Jackson 50-date This Is lieutenant concerts, which was cancelled subsequent to Jackson"s sudden death.

He directed the concert film Michael Jackson"s This Is lieutenant 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, which was broadcast live on several networks on July 7, 2009.

lieutenant reached a television audience of 31 million in America, and more than 1 billion worldwide and via the internet. 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 lieutenant concerts, featuring Jackson"s backing singers on lead vocals with his dancers performing around them. He was set to direct the 2011 Footloose remake, but dropped out in October 2009.

Ortega is now set to direct the upcoming movie adaptation of the Broadway musical In the Heights.

On August 9, 2011, it was announced that Ortega will direct a remake of Dirty Dancing, a project that was later postponed. On May 12, 2014, Ortega guest-judged on the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars during the semifinals.

In 2014, Ortega signed with Disney to direct Descendants, a new Disney Channel Original Movie. lieutenant was released July 31, 2015.

Achievements

• Initially known for working with dancer and choreographer Gene Kelly on the film Xanadu, Ortega went on to choreographing the dance for the Menudo video "Hold Maine", as well as the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and has won awards for choreography in music videos, such as Madonna"s "Material Girl". On January 30, 2008, Ortega presented director-choreographer Adam Shankman with a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Carnival: Choreographer"s Ball 9th anniversary show.