Born to a mother of Spanish descent and an African-American father, Dartenea was born in Los Angeles and raised in the suburban San Gabriel Valley where she grew up riding horses and swimming in the family pool. She began riding motorcycles at the age of 11 and training in martial arts at 12 years old, which earned her black belt in Kung Fu & a class "M" license by the time she graduated from high school. An avid wakeboarder and certified rescue SCUBA diver, her passion for water sports began at a young age when a family friend introduced her to the world of boating. She later developed a knack for snowboarding & can often be found giving lessons at the local ski resorts during the winter. Before becoming a professional stuntwoman, Dee aquired a class "A" license and become a member of The International Union of Operating Engineers (Local #12), where she completed a grueling 3-year apprenticeship and was trained to operate all forms of heavy equipment such as cranes, bulldozers, excavaters and all other big rigs used in the construction industry. A member of SAG since 1997.