From his early days performing ballet on the prestigious stage of Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in NYC, Felipe's passion for the arts was evident. In 1977, his life took a transformative turn when he co-founded the legendary disco group The Village People with French producer Jacques Morali and lead singer-songwriter Victor Willis. It was Felipe's captivating Native American persona and the enchanting sound of sleigh bells around his ankles that caught the attention of Morali and Henri Belolo in January 1977. Inspired by his vivid image, they envisioned a group embodying iconic American male archetypes: the Native American, Cowboy, Construction Worker, Military Man, Biker (Leatherman), and Police Officer. This concept became the foundation of The Village People, a group that would leave an indelible mark on music history. The Village People skyrocketed to global fame, selling over 150 million records worldwide with timeless hits like "San Francisco/Hollywood," "Macho Man," "Y.M.C.A.," "In The Navy," "Go West," "Hot Cop," "Key West," and "Can't Stop The Music." Their anthem "Y.M.C.A." was immortalized in the U.S. Library of Congress National Recording Registry in March 2020 and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021.