Shaté L. Hayes is an educator, writer, and producer who’s passionate about telling stories that ignite career advancement and elevate voices of marginalized populations. After graduating with honors from Spelman College, she started her career as a professional dancer and choreographer. Shaté performed extensively throughout the U.S. and China and has choreographed and produced dozens of productions including industrials, concerts, musicals, and more. In 2018, she served as assistant choreographer for Tony award-winning Dallas Theater Center's and AT&T Performing Art Center's production of Hairspray: The Broadway Musical. Critics have called her “a talent to watch” and her movement has been described as “alone worth the price of admission.”
As an educator, Shaté has taught thousands of students throughout the U.S. and abroad. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Sam Houston State University and spent several years serving as an adjunct dance professor. She’s taught and mentored students of all ages and from all walks of life on issues such as self-confidence, professional development, and career trajectory.
As a writer, Shaté authored The Freelance Dancer’s Roadmap as well as numerous career articles published in Dance Magazine, Pointe, Dance Teacher, and Dance Business Weekly among others. She’s contributed dozens of articles to a variety of publications on topics ranging from career, to culture, inspiration and more. She has two career development e-books, one motivational ebook, and over 50 career development articles published.
In 2015, Shaté founded The Working Dancer, an online career resource for aspiring and early career artists. Through the platform and her work in the community, she’s contributed to numerous panels, conferences, and podcast discussions focused on purpose and career building. Shaté lives in the metro Atlanta area where she leads a high volume educational career content team at a market-leading edtech company and produces/co-hosts The Love Haze Podcast.