Biography
Galen Hooks is an LA native who has been in the entertainment industry since she was 7 years old. The ultimate multi-hyphenate (dancer-choreographer-creative director-producer-singer/songwriter-actress-host), she is a chameleon who defies genre and can seamlessly shift between roles both in front of and behind the camera.
Whether she's photographing, styling, choreographing, performing, directing, or producing, she has an eye for detail and storytelling that she breathes into every project.
At 7 years old, her dance group was the Junior Dance Champion on Star Search. As a child, she was working on shows like Full House, modeling for Mervyn's, and performing in an opera with Placido Domingo; as a teen, she was assisting choreographer Marguerite Derricks for movies like Donnie Darko and shows like That 70's Show.
Galen received a Choreography Media Honor for her work with Fergie performing "Live and Let Die" on Movies Rock and four World Dance Awards for her choreography with The LXD, YouTube's ReMixed, and her own "Campfire Vaudeville", a song and dance experience featuring original music written by Galen. Her YouTube show "Masterclass" (Consulting Producer and Host) was honored by the Webby Awards and Streamy Awards.
Presently, Galen has worked with over 60 artists, including Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Usher, Chris Brown, The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Banks, Grimes and John Legend. She also modeled extensively for Nike's Dance and Sport Culture lines, including countless catalogs, billboards, and a two-page ad in Vogue magazine.
Producing credits include America's Got Talent (Associate Consulting Producer), The Voice (Associate Performance Producer), Disney Channel Presents: Radio Disney's Family VIP Birthday (Executive Producer, Creative Director), and YouTube's "Masterclass" (Consulting Producer and Host).
Theater work includes Associate Co-choreographer for the revival of the hit Broadway show Dreamgirls and choreographer for Higher Education, a new musical from the Tony Award-winning producers of Hair and Memphis.
Galen is involved as a dancer, choreographer, and actress in LXD: Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, which has a 3-season show on Hulu and has had groundbreaking performances on So You Think You Can Dance, TED Talks, the 82nd Annual Oscars, as the opening act for two Glee Tours, at the Guggenheim New York, Invisible Children's Fourth Estate (with an original score by Hans Zimmer) and Google Zeitgeist in London.
She is also well known for being a leading lady for R+B heartthrobs Miguel (Arch N Point), Usher (Good Kisser), and most recognizably as a dancer, choreographer, and actress for Ne-Yo's concept album Libra Scale, in which she played the lead character Diamond Eye and her alter ego, Pretti Sinclair, in the album's music videos, album leaflet, and live performances.
Hooks was also a songwriter on recording artist Raistalla's self-titled album. Galen wrote "Krazy" and co-wrote "Attention" and "Speedracer".
In her free time, Galen is a leading activist in the dance community, having served 10 years as the chair of Dancers Alliance and as a board member of SAG-AFTRA. She currently consults DA and is spearheading the new entity Choreographers Alliance.
Galen is also sharing invaluable knowledge with her new intimate intensives, "Behind the Audition" and "Galen Hooks' Heels Intensive", focusing on limited class sizes and direct feedback. She also teaches (and takes) regular dance classes around the US and internationally, and is a guest teacher on conventions such as The Pulse, NUVO, and Monsters of Hip Hop.
Galen is also a graduate of Penn State University, with a BA in Law.
