L.Y.E. Academy

Industry-standard training in a positive, secure environment — for every aspiring entertainer.

L.Y.E. Academy (Ladia Yates Entertainment) was founded in 2014 by celebrity dancer and choreographer LaDia Yates to give Memphis-area youth the same industry-standard training the pros get — competitive hip hop, competitive majorette, Memphis jookin, tumbling, ballet, beginners and adult classes. What started with about ten students has grown to nearly one hundred, with L.Y.E. dancers earning opportunities with Nike, Usher, Lil Baby, NLE Choppa and Ja Morant — and a national spotlight on the Jennifer Hudson Show. Enroll: (901) 570-3684 · 4670 Merchants Park Circle, Collierville (next to Build-A-Bear & H&M).

What L.Y.E. Does

Competitive Hip Hop

Championship-level hip hop teams trained to industry standard — stage-ready technique, precision and showmanship.

Competitive Majorette

The Southern majorette tradition — power, precision and pageantry that wins competitions.

Memphis Jookin

The street style Memphis gave the world, taught in the city where it was born — by one of its leading figures.

Tumbling, Ballet & Beginners

Foundations for every age and level — from first plié to first flip, in a positive, secured environment.

Adult Classes

A variety of classes for grown folks — it's never too late to move.

Stop The Violence

After losing a beloved staff member in 2021, L.Y.E. turned grief into action — talent shows and community events that give young people a stage instead of the street.

Leadership

LaDia Yates

Founder & Owner · Dancer · Choreographer

Born in California, LaDia Yates moved to Memphis as a teenager and rose to become one of the leading figures in Memphis jookin — the street style this city gave the world. She has danced and choreographed on national stages, serves as a Red Bull dance consultant and Nike brand ambassador, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the arts and youth development. In 2014 she poured it all into L.Y.E. Academy — building a training ground where Memphis kids learn craft, discipline and confidence, and where the next generation of professional entertainers gets its start.

From California to the Heart of Memphis Jookin

LaDia Yates came up dancing — and when she got to Memphis, the city's own jookin culture claimed her. She built her name battle by battle and stage by stage until the industry came calling: Red Bull, Nike, national television. But instead of leaving, she doubled down on Memphis. L.Y.E. Academy has grown from roughly ten students to nearly one hundred, and its dancers have earned real professional work with Nike, Usher, Lil Baby, NLE Choppa and Ja Morant. In 2025 the academy hit the national spotlight on the Jennifer Hudson Show — Memphis kids, Memphis dance, on America's screen.

A Community Partner of Labor Education

Entertainment is work — and L.Y.E. Academy is workforce development for the creative economy. Every rehearsal teaches what a union apprenticeship teaches: show up, master your craft, respect the people beside you. L.Y.E. dancers are young Memphis workers stepping into a professional industry with real contracts and real careers, and LaDia Yates is proof that Memphis talent doesn't have to leave Memphis to make it. Labor Education is proud to stand with L.Y.E. Academy. Enroll: (901) 570-3684 · 4670 Merchants Park Circle, Collierville · ladiayates.com.

Connect with L.Y.E. Academy

Want to get involved, partner, or learn more? Reach out through their website.