After completing three seasons with OBT he joined the English National Ballet under the direction of Derek Deane, but due to an untimely injury he returned to the U.S. and began teaching.
As a dancer, he eventually became a Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet, later retiring from the stage and working as Deputy Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and Artistic Director of English National Ballet 1993-2001.
Derek Walcott | Derek Jarman | Derek Jacobi | Derek Bailey (guitarist) | Derek Bailey | Bo Derek | Derek Trucks | Derek Jeter | Derek Holland | Life with Derek | Derek Lee Ragin | Derek Bickerton | Derek Abbott | Derek O'Brien | Silas Deane | Derek Wyatt | Derek St. Holmes | Derek O'Brien (drummer) | Derek Mahon | Derek Lawrence | Derek Johnstone | Derek Humble | Derek Fowlds | Derek Forbes | Joe Deane | Hamilton Deane | DJ Derek | Derek Yu | Derek Worlock | Derek Taylor |
In 2000, Orr, in conjunction with Libman, began a series of commissions for contemporary ballets inspired by American music, including such musicians as Indigo in Motion, Ray Brown, Stanley Turrentine, Lena Horne, Billy Strayhorn, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Cole Porter, with choreography of Kevin O'Day, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Dwight Rhoden, Derek Deane, Matjash Mrozewski, and Twyla Tharp.