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Instructor Spotlight Series: Charo Bishop
With so many of us taking our barre3 practice into our homes these past few months, the online instructors have become familiar faces—friends we invite into our living rooms to help us move, breathe, and destress. In our Instructor Spotlight Series, you’ll get to know the instructors beyond their energy-boosting choreography and motivating mantras.
Today, we bring you our chat with Charo. If you’ve done her online workouts, you know that she’s a veritable force, bringing energy and optimism to every squat and lunge. Read on to learn what you don’t know about her, including her experience as an NFL cheerleader, how barre3 kickstarted her journey toward self-acceptance, and the introspective work she’s been doing over the past several months.
B3 MAG: You bring big, boundless energy to every workout. Does that energy come naturally to you?
CHARO: Energy has always been my middle name. Ha – not really (it’s Mae), but for some reason, I’ve always been known for my energy. I’ve been a dancer my whole life, and anytime I went through a movement, routine, or piece, it would always be “full out.” I guess you could say my body doesn’t instinctively know anything less than full throttle, which can be both a good and bad thing. To me, I’d rather do something 150% and with enthusiasm, than at 50% to be safe in case I mess up. I’d be remiss to exclude that just because this energy comes naturally to me doesn’t mean that I’m not low-energy sometimes; some days I just have to fake it ‘til I make it, like anyone else—we’ve all got that reserve energy lurking in there somewhere. But that’s the thing about barre3, and exercise in general: Once you get going, the energy starts to build upon and create itself, this incredible cycle of life-giving movement.
B3 MAG: Can you tell us a bit about your background with fitness / sports?
CHARO: Although I never did any team sports (unless you count that one summer of lacrosse), I’ve always considered myself coordinated and athletic. Recreationally, I loved throwing the baseball with my dad, playing basketball and football and beach volleyball with my friends, and I even was a competitive figure skater at one point. But ever since I was a little girl, I chose to channel all of my commitment and energy into dancing—ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, contemporary, the works—for the majority of my childhood and teenage years, practicing at least six hours a day, six days per week. I loved it with my whole heart; dancing was my emotional and creative outlet, and I just happened to be good at it. Success as a professional ballet dancer requires incredible grace, athleticism, artistry, natural talent, flexibility, and discipline, among other things, but it also typically means looking the part: slender, long legs, small waist—all things that, as I grew into adolescence, did not really come naturally to me.
I moved on from my aspirations to become a professional dancer to pursue my bachelor’s degree in accounting, but then post-grad, I passed the audition to become an NFL Cheerleader, and looking the part was again part of the job requirement. This meant weekly weigh-ins where I’d be 5 pounds over and shimmying myself into tiny uniforms ranging from sizes XXS to M—and still, I loved this job wholeheartedly.
Over time, however, my relationship with my body became the constant hammering and negative self-talk that it was never small enough or good enough. Hearing the word “fitness” reminded me that I was not fit enough, but also that I needed to focus on it more in order to become enough. Thankfully, that mindset slowly began to shift when I discovered barre3.
B3 MAG: How did you first learn about barre3, and what were your first impressions?
CHARO: I took my first barre3 class at barre3 Georgetown with my NFL cheerleading team in 2014. I had done previous barre classes, but barre3 was a step above. As a dancer, I loved the acute cognizance of moving to the beat and using the music for energy. I loved that we moved big and got sweaty, and not just in tiny movements the entire time. I loved the constant affirmations spoken to us as certainties by our instructor, Sarah Milligan. I walked out feeling happy, strong, and for a fleeting moment, completely unconcerned that my belly was hanging out a bit more than my friend’s. From that point on, it’s been a journey toward self-acceptance and self-worth.
B3 MAG: Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an instructor—both in-studio and online?
CHARO: When I made the decision to “retire” from NFL cheerleading, I knew that I would need something to feed my right brain and get me moving. I was also working full-time as a tax accountant at the time, and became hyper-aware that if accounting in a cubicle was all I had to fill my days, I would feel off-kilter and unbalanced. I wanted to move my body, I craved a new challenge, and the lightbulb went on to try to become a barre3 instructor. I went online and discovered that a woman named Alicia Sokol was set to open a new barre3 studio right around the corner from my apartment. I reached out on Facebook. Within hours, we had set up a time to meet her and for me to complete the instructor audition. It happened pretty quickly, but the timing was impeccable; by the time the NFL playoffs finished that season, I was on a plane to Portland for my New Instructor Training. Alicia eventually also hired me as her studio manager, and she grew into a friend, a mentor, and a stellar representation of what a strong female leader looks like in my life.
In terms of becoming an online instructor, I received the notification for open casting calls last summer and knew that I wanted to at least give it a shot. I’ve been using barre3 online classes as inspiration ever since I became an in-studio instructor, and in watching so many online workouts over the years, it’s only natural that you start to pick up and learn tidbits about how the instructor is moving, what he or she is saying, and how he or she is connecting with the screen. I am a performer at heart, so I think that my emotive face and big movements helped in getting the part. Since becoming an online instructor, I’ve already learned so much from the digital team, and it’s been this incomparable honor to connect exponentially with so many people beyond my geographical location.
B3 MAG: Let’s talk about life beyond barre3. When you’re not leading people through Sumo Squats and Side Lunges, what are you doing?
CHARO: Reading books. So many books. To say I am an avid reader is an understatement. And book reading is best done outside in nature, where you can also find me anytime the weather cooperates with mankind. I love hiking, kayaking, biking, swimming, snowboarding, camping, boating, going for walks—truly, anything that will get me into the sunshine and the elements. I’m also super competitive, so I love playing games—board games, brain teaser and intellectual games (crossword puzzles, computer logic games, sudoku, etc), sports, foosball, you name it. I love cooking and drinking too many iced lattes. Right now, I am also finding joy in planning our wedding! My fiance and I got engaged this past December. Finally, spending time with my people. My friends and family are all spread out in different cities now, so it takes true planning and effort to get together, but when it happens, it is my favorite. And ideally, we’re doing all the things mentioned above together.
B3 MAG: These past several months have been…intense, to say the least. How have you been doing?
CHARO: I have good and bad moments. I find when I begin to overthink and spiral down the rabbit hole, the bad moments overpower the good, so I am truly taking it one step, one day, one week at a time. I have been doing a lot of introspective work on examining my own biases, my privilege, and my anti-black tendencies as a biracial person, and I am seeking to get to the root of how and why I think and believe certain things. In other words, I’m allowing myself to sit in the discomfort for a while. In class, I will often say “soreness is awareness” when checking in with clients. Right now, our soreness—all the hard things, our broken systems, the stark reality of covid, all the decisions we’ve made in the past, both collectively and individually—is bubbling to the top, and with our practiced awareness of them, we have the potential to do so much. Awareness is a wonderful first step, so long as it is not the only step—so what will I do with my awareness?
B3 MAG: Has your barre3 practice changed at all since the world flipped upside down in March? If so, how?
CHARO: Throughout quarantine, my barre3 classes were essentially the only events on my calendar. Whether I was teaching them or taking them from instructors across the country, it was my sole way of connecting with people beyond my home and my dog. With so much weighing heavy on us, and the need to be nimble and ever-present, I have garnered an even deeper appreciation for the one hour of escape / joy / freedom / truth / confidence / clarity / self-love / release / processing that barre3 provides me—even more mentally than physically. Each day, we move our bodies in search of something different—and on some (most) days, it isn’t about the physical strengthening at all, but about so much more. So while my barre3 practice has not changed much, the value I attach to it has increased tenfold.
B3 MAG: Aside from barre3, what else do you have in your toolbox for navigating our current world?
CHARO: I make time each day to get outside, even if it’s for only 10 minutes. Just being out in nature is calming and mindful and intentional and life-giving. I journal. I create space for rest. I remember that my stressors are temporary. I reconnect with a friend. I smile at a stranger and look them in the eyes (really look at them!) from behind my face mask. I step into someone else’s shoes and find perspective. I open my ears and listen. I focus on what I have learned from this, what lessons we can take with us. Yes, this is hard—it is so hard. But it’s just hard right now. Like Narrow Athletic V with a double-band wrap, this too will come to an end, and we’ll be stronger for it.
B3 MAG: The community comments on your online workouts are full of gratitude, both for your positive, motivating energy and your knack for taking people to their sweatiest edge. What do you hope people get from your workouts, both in-studio and online?
CHARO: When I first began my journey as a barre3 instructor, my goal was that people left my class exclaiming how hard it was. As a dancer, I was accustomed to the focus being on me. It was a performance, a solo sport – I wanted people to remember that I could kick their asses and kick it well. But as I’ve grown and matured over the past 4.5 years as a barre3 instructor, I have begun to discover the true definition of humility and one of our core values, Humbly Confident. Over time, I think (I hope!) that my class has become even more and more about them, about you. Not about me at all.
Barre3 has given me so much beyond the studio walls—one of the most important being that I now know how to stand up for what I deserve. My job is to pass the torch. So yes, I hope people leave sweaty and smiling and stronger and grateful for their capable bodies—but more important, with every adaptation or modification taken, I hope they leave with a greater sense of self-worth, a step forward into self-acceptance, and a resolute belief that they’ve already got everything they need.
Thank you so much, Charo! Try Charo’s workouts free with a 15-day trial of barre3 online or find your local studio to get started with barre3 today!
With so many of us taking our barre3 practice into our homes these past few months, the online instructors have become familiar faces—friends we invite into our living rooms to help us move, breathe, and destress. In our Instructor Spotlight Series, you’ll get to know the instructors beyond their energy-boosting choreography and motivating mantras.
Today, we bring you our chat with Charo. If you’ve done her online workouts, you know that she’s a veritable force, bringing energy and optimism to every squat and lunge. Read on to learn what you don’t know about her, including her experience as an NFL cheerleader, how barre3 kickstarted her journey toward self-acceptance, and the introspective work she’s been doing over the past several months.
B3 MAG: You bring big, boundless energy to every workout. Does that energy come naturally to you?
CHARO: Energy has always been my middle name. Ha – not really (it’s Mae), but for some reason, I’ve always been known for my energy. I’ve been a dancer my whole life, and anytime I went through a movement, routine, or piece, it would always be “full out.” I guess you could say my body doesn’t instinctively know anything less than full throttle, which can be both a good and bad thing. To me, I’d rather do something 150% and with enthusiasm, than at 50% to be safe in case I mess up. I’d be remiss to exclude that just because this energy comes naturally to me doesn’t mean that I’m not low-energy sometimes; some days I just have to fake it ‘til I make it, like anyone else—we’ve all got that reserve energy lurking in there somewhere. But that’s the thing about barre3, and exercise in general: Once you get going, the energy starts to build upon and create itself, this incredible cycle of life-giving movement.
B3 MAG: Can you tell us a bit about your background with fitness / sports?
CHARO: Although I never did any team sports (unless you count that one summer of lacrosse), I’ve always considered myself coordinated and athletic. Recreationally, I loved throwing the baseball with my dad, playing basketball and football and beach volleyball with my friends, and I even was a competitive figure skater at one point. But ever since I was a little girl, I chose to channel all of my commitment and energy into dancing—ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, contemporary, the works—for the majority of my childhood and teenage years, practicing at least six hours a day, six days per week. I loved it with my whole heart; dancing was my emotional and creative outlet, and I just happened to be good at it. Success as a professional ballet dancer requires incredible grace, athleticism, artistry, natural talent, flexibility, and discipline, among other things, but it also typically means looking the part: slender, long legs, small waist—all things that, as I grew into adolescence, did not really come naturally to me.
I moved on from my aspirations to become a professional dancer to pursue my bachelor’s degree in accounting, but then post-grad, I passed the audition to become an NFL Cheerleader, and looking the part was again part of the job requirement. This meant weekly weigh-ins where I’d be 5 pounds over and shimmying myself into tiny uniforms ranging from sizes XXS to M—and still, I loved this job wholeheartedly.
Over time, however, my relationship with my body became the constant hammering and negative self-talk that it was never small enough or good enough. Hearing the word “fitness” reminded me that I was not fit enough, but also that I needed to focus on it more in order to become enough. Thankfully, that mindset slowly began to shift when I discovered barre3.
B3 MAG: How did you first learn about barre3, and what were your first impressions?
CHARO: I took my first barre3 class at barre3 Georgetown with my NFL cheerleading team in 2014. I had done previous barre classes, but barre3 was a step above. As a dancer, I loved the acute cognizance of moving to the beat and using the music for energy. I loved that we moved big and got sweaty, and not just in tiny movements the entire time. I loved the constant affirmations spoken to us as certainties by our instructor, Sarah Milligan. I walked out feeling happy, strong, and for a fleeting moment, completely unconcerned that my belly was hanging out a bit more than my friend’s. From that point on, it’s been a journey toward self-acceptance and self-worth.
B3 MAG: Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an instructor—both in-studio and online?
CHARO: When I made the decision to “retire” from NFL cheerleading, I knew that I would need something to feed my right brain and get me moving. I was also working full-time as a tax accountant at the time, and became hyper-aware that if accounting in a cubicle was all I had to fill my days, I would feel off-kilter and unbalanced. I wanted to move my body, I craved a new challenge, and the lightbulb went on to try to become a barre3 instructor. I went online and discovered that a woman named Alicia Sokol was set to open a new barre3 studio right around the corner from my apartment. I reached out on Facebook. Within hours, we had set up a time to meet her and for me to complete the instructor audition. It happened pretty quickly, but the timing was impeccable; by the time the NFL playoffs finished that season, I was on a plane to Portland for my New Instructor Training. Alicia eventually also hired me as her studio manager, and she grew into a friend, a mentor, and a stellar representation of what a strong female leader looks like in my life.
In terms of becoming an online instructor, I received the notification for open casting calls last summer and knew that I wanted to at least give it a shot. I’ve been using barre3 online classes as inspiration ever since I became an in-studio instructor, and in watching so many online workouts over the years, it’s only natural that you start to pick up and learn tidbits about how the instructor is moving, what he or she is saying, and how he or she is connecting with the screen. I am a performer at heart, so I think that my emotive face and big movements helped in getting the part. Since becoming an online instructor, I’ve already learned so much from the digital team, and it’s been this incomparable honor to connect exponentially with so many people beyond my geographical location.
B3 MAG: Let’s talk about life beyond barre3. When you’re not leading people through Sumo Squats and Side Lunges, what are you doing?
CHARO: Reading books. So many books. To say I am an avid reader is an understatement. And book reading is best done outside in nature, where you can also find me anytime the weather cooperates with mankind. I love hiking, kayaking, biking, swimming, snowboarding, camping, boating, going for walks—truly, anything that will get me into the sunshine and the elements. I’m also super competitive, so I love playing games—board games, brain teaser and intellectual games (crossword puzzles, computer logic games, sudoku, etc), sports, foosball, you name it. I love cooking and drinking too many iced lattes. Right now, I am also finding joy in planning our wedding! My fiance and I got engaged this past December. Finally, spending time with my people. My friends and family are all spread out in different cities now, so it takes true planning and effort to get together, but when it happens, it is my favorite. And ideally, we’re doing all the things mentioned above together.
B3 MAG: These past several months have been…intense, to say the least. How have you been doing?
CHARO: I have good and bad moments. I find when I begin to overthink and spiral down the rabbit hole, the bad moments overpower the good, so I am truly taking it one step, one day, one week at a time. I have been doing a lot of introspective work on examining my own biases, my privilege, and my anti-black tendencies as a biracial person, and I am seeking to get to the root of how and why I think and believe certain things. In other words, I’m allowing myself to sit in the discomfort for a while. In class, I will often say “soreness is awareness” when checking in with clients. Right now, our soreness—all the hard things, our broken systems, the stark reality of covid, all the decisions we’ve made in the past, both collectively and individually—is bubbling to the top, and with our practiced awareness of them, we have the potential to do so much. Awareness is a wonderful first step, so long as it is not the only step—so what will I do with my awareness?
B3 MAG: Has your barre3 practice changed at all since the world flipped upside down in March? If so, how?
CHARO: Throughout quarantine, my barre3 classes were essentially the only events on my calendar. Whether I was teaching them or taking them from instructors across the country, it was my sole way of connecting with people beyond my home and my dog. With so much weighing heavy on us, and the need to be nimble and ever-present, I have garnered an even deeper appreciation for the one hour of escape / joy / freedom / truth / confidence / clarity / self-love / release / processing that barre3 provides me—even more mentally than physically. Each day, we move our bodies in search of something different—and on some (most) days, it isn’t about the physical strengthening at all, but about so much more. So while my barre3 practice has not changed much, the value I attach to it has increased tenfold.
B3 MAG: Aside from barre3, what else do you have in your toolbox for navigating our current world?
CHARO: I make time each day to get outside, even if it’s for only 10 minutes. Just being out in nature is calming and mindful and intentional and life-giving. I journal. I create space for rest. I remember that my stressors are temporary. I reconnect with a friend. I smile at a stranger and look them in the eyes (really look at them!) from behind my face mask. I step into someone else’s shoes and find perspective. I open my ears and listen. I focus on what I have learned from this, what lessons we can take with us. Yes, this is hard—it is so hard. But it’s just hard right now. Like Narrow Athletic V with a double-band wrap, this too will come to an end, and we’ll be stronger for it.
B3 MAG: The community comments on your online workouts are full of gratitude, both for your positive, motivating energy and your knack for taking people to their sweatiest edge. What do you hope people get from your workouts, both in-studio and online?
CHARO: When I first began my journey as a barre3 instructor, my goal was that people left my class exclaiming how hard it was. As a dancer, I was accustomed to the focus being on me. It was a performance, a solo sport – I wanted people to remember that I could kick their asses and kick it well. But as I’ve grown and matured over the past 4.5 years as a barre3 instructor, I have begun to discover the true definition of humility and one of our core values, Humbly Confident. Over time, I think (I hope!) that my class has become even more and more about them, about you. Not about me at all.
Barre3 has given me so much beyond the studio walls—one of the most important being that I now know how to stand up for what I deserve. My job is to pass the torch. So yes, I hope people leave sweaty and smiling and stronger and grateful for their capable bodies—but more important, with every adaptation or modification taken, I hope they leave with a greater sense of self-worth, a step forward into self-acceptance, and a resolute belief that they’ve already got everything they need.
Thank you so much, Charo! Try Charo’s workouts free with a 15-day trial of barre3 online or find your local studio to get started with barre3 today!
