Telisha D. Shaw was born was born in October 1978 in Germantown, Tennessee, a small suburb of Memphis. A talented dancer, Telisa attended Willow Oaks Elementary School until sixth grade. At 11 years old, Telisha was awarded a prestigious scholarship to the Harlam Dance school in New York. She attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as a dance major. She has traveled the world working as a backup dancer for such celebrities as Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Janet Jackson.