Her first performance was in 1933 at the Ashgabat Musical Drama Theater, directed by Rza Afganli, where she played the role of Garib's sister in "Ashik Qarib.

"[2] She received specialized education at the Baku Theater Technical School, where she participated in several roles in a drama club thanks to the initiative of Fatma Gadri.

[2] In 1934, as a first-year student at the technical school, Aliyeva was invited to the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre.

[4] At the Yerevan theater, she created numerous stage characters in both national and foreign productions.

[10] Ataya Aliyeva’s father, Aghagulam, was from Maragheh, and her mother, Humay khanim, was from Tabriz.