From a life spent dedicated to the art of ballet as a dancer, choreographer, and educator, Pablo Sánchez understands what it takes to bring unforgettable performances to life. Now, by pursuing his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, he is striving to grow as a leader who can help the arts flourish for decades to come.
“I have my eyes set on maintaining the health and vibrancy of the arts landscape in Chicago,” Pablo said. “Industry leaders are pivotal in creating advocacy and allocating corporate dollars to support the nonprofit sector. So, I realized years ago that to best support the arts field, I should focus on either being able to rub shoulders with industry leaders or becoming one myself.”
Even for a highly disciplined and accomplished individual like Pablo, transitioning into an executive role is both a complex challenge and an exciting opportunity. To prepare for that shift, he enrolled in a leadership Studio course (now known as MyLife Studio) at UChicago.
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In the Studio, Pablo engaged in deep self-reflection and received individualized coaching based on theatrical techniques applied to real-world challenges. Working with expert guides and supportive peers in a studio-inspired environment was a powerful, transformative experience that helped Pablo align his current actions in school and at work with his aspirations for the future.
Motivations for Transformation
Pablo’s devotion to the arts and commitment to growth can be traced back to his childhood when he began his training in dance. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Ballet Performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington and spent 10 years performing across the country before moving into an administrative role with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet.
As board relations manager for the Joffrey, Pablo is responsible for producing, coordinating, and recording every aspect of board meeting activity. The role has given him a clear understanding of the inner workings of a major arts nonprofit, while he prepares for the next step in his career by studying advanced business and management strategies.
The Studio course he took at UChicago served as a bridge between Pablo’s areas of interest. The Studio format offered an approachable way for him to begin confronting the kind of challenges he would face as an executive, while giving him the opportunity to draw on his creative instincts in new ways.
“The Studio class unlocks the multifaceted nature found within all of us,” Pablo said. “You learn how to embrace the fullest version of yourself, knowing that you can shift between your many facets depending on the scenario in which you find yourself.”
Rehearsing a Turning Point
This studio-inspired experience is built on the idea that students can prepare for critical moments in their personal and professional lives by rehearsing behaviors that reflect their authentic values in a space of safety and support. Participants engage in self-reflection and rehearse how they want to show up in the world, growing their confidence and learning to assert themselves effectively even in unpredictable or difficult situations.
During his time in the class, Pablo was mentored by Harry L. Davis, MyLife Studio guide and Booth School of Business Professor Emeritus and the honoree of the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership. Harry, together with Charles Newell, the former artistic director of the Court Theatre and a Regional Tony Award-winning director, and Nancy Tennant, a Booth School adjunct professor of leadership and global innovation strategist, developed the curriculum that became MyLife Studio. Their combined expertise in the arts and leadership provides participants like Pablo with a unique environment for reflective inquiry and personal transformation.
“Pablo was always fully present to others in the class,” Harry said. “He projected both enthusiasm for the material and support for the process that we had put in place each week. I suspect that his years in dance really helped him understand the importance of practice, embracing both positive and negative outcomes, and being courageous.”
The course gave Pablo opportunities to practice his responses to potentially uncomfortable situations and to become a more proactive, confident communicator in a professional setting.
“My immediate takeaway from the Studio was the enhanced sense of self-awareness that comes with every interpersonal connection, especially pertaining to my professional career. Being able to put myself in other people’s shoes in the moment of interaction helped me navigate through my work day with increased security.” he explained.
One of the most memorable projects was a transformational performance, in which small groups of participants wrote, directed, and performed a 10-minute original play for the rest of the class. His group’s piece focused on the concept of the “whole-person opus,” connecting an individual’s core identity with how they appear to others and their aspirations for personal development.
Pablo applied what he’d learned in that performance just weeks later, when he was asked on short notice to give a reflective presentation at the Joffrey board’s annual meeting. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, he drew on the tools from the course to stay calm, adapt, and speak with clarity.
A Community of Self-Discovery
Pablo’s peers and the instructional team helped him take risks and embrace new possibilities. The Studio environment encourages participants to collaborate and express themselves openly in ways that are rare in traditional classrooms.
“There were 30 people in a ‘classroom’ that didn’t seem at all like a classroom,” Harry said. “They didn’t feel judged or scared to communicate what they were thinking or feeling. They benefited by truly listening to one another, even when others were presenting ideas that were different from their own.”
The immersive and intimate nature of the course empowers participants to experiment and fearlessly try out new ways of being that they can carry with them into other classes, their careers, and their personal lives.
“In my day-to-day life at work, I’m thinking about how I can create an atmosphere, a situation, a play where the outcome is going to be optimized,” Pablo said.
Pablo’s results are precisely the sort of change that Harry, Charlie, and Nancy strive to help every student achieve through the Studio experience. Each participant has the flexibility to tailor their creative explorations and line of self-inquiry to fit the objectives that matter most on their personal journey.
“Pablo has taken so much of what he had learned in his current role at the Joffrey with very positive results,” Harry said. “That makes me particularly happy, given that I view my impact as an educator based on what happens after the class is over.”
Interested in developing interpersonal skills, theatrical tools, and a reflective practice that will transform how you show up for the major turning points of life? Learn about auditioning for the MyLife Studio program.
