Con Way Ling (SE ’92, ’93) started his company around the same time he took up a second career — dancing. As CEO of Xerpi, an online social bookmarking network, and member of the prestigious Martha Graham Dance Ensemble in New York City, he is excelling at both.

“Martha Graham technique is structural and appeals to my engineering mind,” says Ling. “Engineering, like dance, blends art and science. There are precise formulas and techniques you must learn. The art is in how you use the techniques to solve a problem … or convey an emotion on stage.”

In Ling’s case, balancing both of his passions is an art form in and of itself. In the office, he works with the Xerpi team, including cofounder and U.Va. alumni Chris Stanton (Col ’91) and the company’s chief technology officer Wray Mills (CS ’95), to help users customize the Internet by organizing, finding and sharing personal bookmarks — through a Web-based application that is available anytime, anywhere (see xerpi.com for more information). On stage, he dances. With only three years of training, Ling auditioned and was selected from among hundreds of students worldwide to join the 12 dancers who comprise the Martha Graham Ensemble.

“You don’t run into many engineers in the dancing world,” says Ling, “but there are definite connections between the two areas — both blend analysis, precision and creativity.”