Faye Yvette McQueen was born in Jamaica, New York. She attended Catholic School, studied dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in NYC and Martha Graham Contemporary Dance School.

Faye started her own dance school at the age of 12 in her neighborhood. She performed with The New York Broadway Dancing Cheerleaders in NYC, Liberation Ensemble and Inspiration Dance Company before attending college at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland in 1979. She received a BFA in Dance Education and a minor in Spanish.