Owner / Artistic Director
  • 2024 -present Dunedin Rotarian
  • 2024-present Artist and Residence at Academie da Vinci, Dunedin, FL
  • 2021-present Owner, Artistic Director, & Choreographer at Ovations Dance Academy of Tampa
  • 1997-2020 Artistic Director/Choreographer at Ovations Dance Academy Inc., Bohemia, NY
  • 2013-2020 Artist in Residence at 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 at Patchogue Theater
  • Board Member of The Brookhaven Arts Council and Humanities
  • Honoree of Patchogue Village Contributor of the Arts
  • Sachem School District, NY

Mr. Orlando Peña is the former Artistic Director/ Choreographer of Ovations Dance Academy, Inc. of Bohemia, NY from 1997-2020, and was an 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. Peña 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 touring with A Chorus Line, The Music Man, Oklahoma!, and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express in Bochum, Germany. Since founding Ovations Dance Academy, Mr. Peña has trained and guided students who have been accepted to American Ballet Theatre, The Boston Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, The Joffrey School, The Rock School in Pennsylvania, USDAN, the Vail International Dance Festival, Alvin Ailey, and the Orlando Ballet. His students can be seen on both Broadway and National Broadway Tours, as well as roles in numerous stage productions, national commercials, and television shows. Ovations Dance Repertory Company established a reputation in the tri-state area for the pre-professional quality of his productions. Since 1997, it produced over 20 musicals in addition to the yearly Nutcracker Suite productions, all under the direction of Mr. Peña. As Artistic Director of the fashion show for the charity event, "A World of Pink," Mr. Peña helped raise $100k for breast cancer survivors. Prior to that, he directed and choreographed Did You Talk to Him Today?, which raised $30,000 for local homeless charities. Mr. Peña also directed the Dr. Patrick Dineen Memorial Foundation, whose meaningful mission is to bring happiness to both children and adults who are battling cancer. In December of 2019, Mr. Peña was honored with a proclamation from Mayor Paul Pontieri of The Village of Patchogue, NY for twenty years of his contribution to the Arts within the community. Mr. Peña has also worked with Sachem School District to bring the Performing Arts to schools on Long Island. During the Covid-19 closure in New York, Mr. Peña made the decision that it was time to be closer to his family in Tampa. God 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. Ovations Dance Academy of Tampa, LLC was established in the summer of 2021. In less than four years, Ovations has become a community name, and has continued his legacy of charity work here in Tampa Bay with organizations like Hope Villages of America and Oldsmar Cares and The Polo Charity Gala. The talent and renown of the Tampa studio continue to grow, with a student currently on Broadway as Young Simba on Broadway and Kenneth Michael Murry in Moulan Rouge national Tour. Matilda as Matilda on Broadway and Kyla Carter in The Sound of Music in the national Tour. This past season his ballet dancers competing at the Youth America Grand Prix regionals next month at the Straz Center. Orlando is now the Artist in Residence at Academie Da Vinci in Duneden, helping enhance the charter school experience with Performing Arts curriculum. With his exuberant 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!
Virginia Archer
  • Virginia Archer (Ballet) began her studies in Charleston, SC, before moving to the Tampa Bay Area. Trained under the direction of Robert De Warren, Diane Partington, Rey Dizon, and Ivonne Lemus, she has performed roles such as Cinderella, Black Swan in Swan Lake, Bridesmaid in Don Quixote, and Dew Drop/Snow Queen in the Nutcracker at the Straz Center. She was invited to compete at the New York Finals for Youth America Grand Prix and has trained abroad in Italy.
Bella Archer
Bella Archer (Ballet, Contemporary) began dancing in Charleston, SC before relocating to Tampa Bay. Trained under the direction of Diane Partington, Rey Dizon, and Robert De Warren, she has performed roles such as 4 Little Swans in Swan Lake, Little Red Riding Hood in Sleeping Beauty, Cupid in Don Quixote, and Clara in the Nutcracker. Isabella has competed and received awards at the Youth American Grand Prix, such as 2nd place in the Pas de Deux category.

Ciara Noe
Ciara Noe (Acrobatics, Tap, Musical Theatre) is a versatile dance professional and acrobatics specialist blending expertise in acrobatics, tap, jazz, and musical theatre. She has honed her craft through 11 years of performance experience and gymnastics training, and holds an Acrobatic Arts Certification, enabling her to teach students of all ages. Her credits include film appearances with Central Florida Choreographers Collaboration and several music videos.
Kelly King
Kelly King was a Radio City Rockette for 12 years and has performed extensively for television, stage and film. She toured nationally with Fosse and Anything Goes and performed in Gregory Hines In Concert with Gregory Hines . Her other credits include Alvin Ailey NY, ” The Tonight Show, MTV Music Awards, Lincoln Center, Dancing With The Stars, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Today Show and with the Pussycat Dolls at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. As a teacher, King has had the pleasure of teaching at University of South Florida, Broadway Dance Center, Joffrey NYC, Mobile Ballet , and Jax City Ballet. Currently King is on faculty with Shake The Ground Dance Competition and Universal Ballet Competition.She just finished teaching at Summer of Hip Hop with Joffrey and will be continuing onto two upcoming University Residencies. King continues to freelance Choreographing and teaching and is committed to her passion growing the next Generation of Dancers. Dance with Kelly King on Wed. at Miss Kings first Ovations Dance Aug. 6.

Daniel Ulbricht Guest Artist
Daniel Ulbricht was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and began his dance training at the age of 11 at the Judith Lee Johnson Studio of Dance, studying with Lenny Holmes. He also studied at Les Jeunes Danseurs with Javier Dubraq and attended the Chautauqua Summer Dance Program, training with Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. In 1999, Mr. Ulbricht was invited by the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, to continue his training during their Winter Program. As a student at SAB, Mr. Ulbricht performed with New York City Ballet as a Jester in Peter Martins' The Sleeping Beauty. In December 2000, he became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and in November 2001 he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. In January 2005, Mr. Ulbricht was promoted to the rank of soloist and principal dancer in May 2007
James Monroe Stevko Guest Artist
James Monroe Števko is a NY-based dancer, actor and choreographer. Originally a trumpet player with his sights set on music, he began dancing in college at the age of 18. He has danced with: the Rockettes in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Milwaukee Ballet, The MUNY, The Met Gala and Youtube Upfronts with Katy Perry, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and regional theaters. Having originated the role of Mendl in the cast of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish he is now a stager for the Robbins Trust for the Jerome Robbins choreography. His features include: NY1, DanceInforma, DanceTeacher Magazine, Yiddish Book Center and Denník N, where he was profiled for studying the Slovak language on scholarship from the Department of Slavic Languages at the University of Pittsburgh. jmstevko.com @jmstevko
Ensel Ramos-Guest Artist
Esnel Ramos -International Guest Artist -Cavalier Mr. Ramos began his studies from his native country at The Natioanl Ballet Company at The Great Theatre of Havana under the direction of Madam Alicia Alonso and the Director Carlos Acosta. A well resspected dancer Mr. Ramos has danced with The Natioanl Theatre of Russia, Ballet Reunion Gala Theaterhaus Stuggart in Spartacus Pas de deux, Guest dancer in Ballet Dortumnd with Swan Lake, International Ballet Gala XXXVII, International Ballet Gala XXXVI, to name a few. He is currently dancing at Les Grands Ballet Canadiens* Dir. Ivan Cavallari. Ensel is thrilled to be part of Mr. Pena, Ovations Dance Repertory Company 2024
Madison Pineda Bender
Madison Pineda Bender began her early dance training in Sacramento, CA, and Keller, TX. At 16, she moved to New York City to attend The Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Program. In 2021, she earned her B.F.A. in Dance from The Juilliard School, and was awarded the Martha Hill Award and the Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship Grant. She received extra training from prestigious programs including Jacob’s Pillow and the Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive.
Madison has performed works by choreographers such as Martha Graham, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, and Desmond Richardson and appeared as a dancer in 2021 Warner Brothers film, “In The Heights”. She has worked as an assistant and stager for Rena Butler during her creations for the Juilliard School, UNCSA, and George Mason University.
From 2022–2023, Madison was a company dancer with GroundWorks DanceTheater, performing works by Rena Butler, Peter Chu, Sidra Bell, Spenser Theberge, Antonio Brown and many others. She recently joined Peter Chu’s company, chuthis., and performed last summer at Orsolina28.
Madison will premiere a new solo by Peter and showcase her own choreography at the BEACON dance series this April.
She is very passionate about teaching and looks forward to sharing her artistry with students at Ovations this summer! 2025