Bahiyah received her early and most influential training in Baltimore, MD. She began training at the age of four and eventually graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts. She received her BFA in Dance from The Julliard School, under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy. While at Julliard, she also performed with such companies as Complexions, Donald Byrd the Group, Jubilation and Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn. Upon graduation she was invited to move to Germany, where she danced for William Forsythe and the Frankfurt Ballet. In 1998 she joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the direction of Judith Jamison. She recently completed her fifth season as a principal dancer for Ailey.