Bergen Co. Native Shakira Barrera Lands Role On Netflix's 'GLOW'

ENGLEWOOD, NJ — Who knew that dancing and wrestling had so much in common.

Shakira Barrera has joined the cast of Netflix's popular Emmy-nominated show "GLOW." The show allows Barrera to translate her former dance training into the world of pro wrestling.

Barrera was graduated from Rutgers New Brunswick's Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2008. She was also a "spokes-dancer" for Fanta soft drinks. She plays Yolanda Rivas, aka Yo-Yo/Junkchain on "GLOW."

"My character is a stripper, break-dancer, and ballerina," Barrera said. "All of those elements come from discovering how to work with my body over four years at Rutgers."

Barrera is a Nicaraguan-American and the first of her family to attend college.

Julia Ritter, chair and artistic director of the drama department at Mason Gross School of the Arts, said Barreras was a motivated and ambitious student who worked hard.

Ritter said it is no surprise that Barrera's intensive dance training helped shaped her pro-wrestling athleticism.

Before now, Barreras appeared on six episodes of "High & Mighty" and 14 episodes of "Freak Out," according to the Internet Movie Database.

In addition to appearing in "GLOW," which just got renewed for a third season, Barreras has completed filming "Blood Heist," and two short films, "A Boxers Fight" and "Kaya."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Shakira Barrera (Courtesy of "GLOW"/Netflix)