Orlando Pena
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Owner / Artistic Director
Qualifications:
- 1997-2020 Artistic Director/Choreographer Ovations Dance Academy Inc., Bohemia, NY
- 2013-2020 Artist in Residence East Woods School
- Principal Dancer (Soloist) Windermere Ballet Theatre
- Touring companies: A Chorus Line, Music Man, Oklahoma, Andrew Webber's Starlight Express - Bochum, Germany
- Member of The Actors Equity Association
- Committee Member Patchogue Theater
- Board Member of The Brookhaven Arts Council and Humanities
- Honoree of Patchogue Village Contributer of the Arts
- Sachem School District, NY
Orlando Pena's Complete bio
Mr. Orlando Pena former Artistic Director / Choreographer of Ovations Dance Academy, Inc. of Bohemia, NY from 1997-2020 and the artist in residence at East Woods School in Oyster bay, NY for seven years. Additionally, he founded Ovations Dance Repertory Company, a non-profit organization in 1997.
A member of The Actors Equity Association, Mr. Pena has toured the United States and Europe performing and choreographing with numerous dance companies. His ballet credentials quickly progressed from a corps de ballet to a principal and soloist with The Windermere Ballet Theatre under the direction of the late Sally Hammond. After the company, he continued on tour with A Chorus Line, Music Man, Oklahoma, and Lord Andrew LLoyd Webber's Starlight Express in Bochum, Germany.
Since founding Ovations Dance Academy, Mr. Pena has trained and guided students who have been accepted to The Vail International Dance Festival, The Rock School in Pennsylvania, American Ballet Theatre of Alabama and Bermuda, USDAN, Alvin Ailey, The Boston Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, The Joffrey School and the Orlando Ballet. His students can be seen on Broadway, National Broadway Tours, cruise ships, national commercials and HBO movies in featured roles.
Ovations Dance Repertory Company has established a reputation in the tri-state area for the pre-professional quality of musical theatre productions. Since 1997 it has produced over 20 musicals in addition to the yearly Nutcracker Suite productions all under the direction of Mr. Pena.
Most recently, as Artisitc Director of the fashion show for the charity event, "A World of Pink." Mr Pena help raise $100k for breast cancer survivors. Prior to that, Mr. Pena directed and chorepgraphed "Did you talk to Him today' which raised $30,000 for local homeless charities. Mr Pena also directed the Dr. Patrick Dineen Memorial Foundation, whose meaningful misson is to bring happiness to cancer patients with gigts and granted wishes. This foundations mission is to bring happiness to both children and adults who are battling cancer in forms of gift, granting wish request and much more. Mr. Pena has served as a volunteer of The Patchogue Theater Committee and as a Board Member of The Brookhaven Arts Council and Humanities.
In December of 2019, Mr. Pena was honored with a proclamation from Mayor Paul Pontieri of The Village of Patchogue, NY for his 20 year contribuion to the arts within the community. Mr. Pena has also worked with Sachem School District on Long Island to bring performing arts into the schools within the district.
During the Covid-19 closure in New York, Mr. Pena decided that it was time to be closer to his family in Tampa. The universe opened a new door for him and he sold his business and home on Long Island to create a new path in the sunshine state.
With his exhuberant energy and love for his students and the arts it is no wonder why Orlando is highly respected and admired in the industry. Come meet him and get to know him for yourself!