## From Microsoft to Pirouettes: Former Techie Opens ballet School
Adrienne Chan‘s pivot away from a career in tech could more aptly be considered a pirouette.
The former Microsoft product manager is the co-founder of a new ballet school in Redmond, Wash., where she’s reconnecting with the dancing she practiced growing up, and seizing on a desire to run her own business.
“I knew I had to do this because I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” chan told GeekWire. “I loved my job at Microsoft, and I wanted to do both … but 24/7 my mind was only thinking about the ballet school.”
Bellevue Classical Ballet opened in September in Redmond Town Center with a mission to serve students of all ages and skill levels. Chan is serving as executive director, and her co-founder, Eric Hipolito Jr., a former dancer and instructor with Pacific Northwest Ballet School, is artistic director.
Chan first interned at Microsoft in 2017 before spending almost four years at the tech giant working on Azure products. She left in 2022 to get her Master of Science degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Washington before returning to Microsoft for another 11-month stint.
While at the UW, Chan utilized her engineering background and worked on a dance education app as part of her degree program.
“Something still felt a little off for me,” she admitted. “I felt that maybe I wanted to stray a little bit more away from tech.”
She met Hipolito and made the leap back into dancing. And along the way, she found tech was still a suitable partner.
Intrigued by entrepreneurship
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Chan grew up in Toronto and transitioned from gymnastics to ballet as a kid,falling in love with the art form at age 9 thanks to her teachers. She eventually took up other styles of danc
From Microsoft to Ballet: How One Leader Applies tech Principles to Arts Management
Adrienne Chan, a former Microsoft product manager, has transitioned to a new role as the manager of the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. This career shift isn’t a rejection of her tech background, but rather a fascinating application of its principles to the world of arts education. Chan finds surprising parallels between managing a product and running a ballet school, emphasizing adaptability, decisive action, and iterative betterment – a mindset honed in the tech industry.
!Theater, and Rachel Foster, former principal dancer at the Pacific Northwest Ballet. (Photo courtesy of adrienne Chan)
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The Unexpected Synergy Between Tech and Ballet
Chan describes managing a product and managing a business as equally ambiguous endeavors. She leverages the adaptability and decisiveness she cultivated at Microsoft in her new role at the ballet school. This approach, common in the technology sector, involves continuous iteration and refinement based on real-world feedback.
“At the ballet school, she finds herself leaning on the adaptability and decisiveness that helped her at Microsoft, and iterating as she goes – a mindset she calls very common in tech,” as chan herself explained.
A Conscious Choice: Rejecting AI for Human Insight
Despite the prevalence of Artificial Intelligence, Chan intentionally avoids using it in her work.When faced with the complex task of creating 100 different schedule options for the school, a colleague suggested utilizing an AI model. Chan firmly declined, stating, “I saeid, ‘No, I want to use my brain.’ I trust my brain.” This highlights her belief in the value of human judgment and critical thinking, even when efficient technological solutions are available.
The Irony and Fulfillment of a New Path
Chan finds a certain irony in her current position – overseeing the education of children whose parents frequently enough work at Microsoft, possibly reviewing code or tackling other tech challenges while she manages the ballet school.
However, she doesn’t view her career change as a risky gamble. Instead, she emphasizes the deep personal fulfillment it provides. “It’s stressful. But I’m stressing for what I really want to be doing, what really matters to me,” Chan stated. “I don’t think that’s replaceable at all. I don’t think ther’s any other option.”
Key Takeaways:
* Transferable Skills: Leadership and management skills developed in the tech industry are surprisingly applicable to other fields, like arts administration.
* The Value of Human Judgment: Even with the rise of AI, human intuition and critical thinking remain essential.
* Purpose-Driven Work: Finding work that aligns with personal values can lead to greater fulfillment, even if it involves a significant career change.
This story demonstrates that career paths aren’t always linear, and that valuable skills can be applied across diverse industries. As technology continues to evolve, the ability to adapt, think critically, and prioritize purpose will become increasingly vital, regardless of the chosen profession.