Zhang performs Don Quixote at an English National Ballet competition. [Photo/China Daily]

Sitting down for an interview in a small office above his rehearsal studio, he elegantly moves his head, hands and feet in the air to demonstrate how concepts like love, promise and suicide are acted out in ballet. Suddenly, these soundless movements seem to vividly describe what writers have attempted to convey for generations.

Zhang loves to play Basilio from Don Quixote. The ballet was originally choreographed in 1869, based on episodes from the Spanish novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes.

When competing in the Prix de Lausanne in 2013, Zhang performed the passionate dance of a proud Basilio as he is about to get married. The fast-moving excerpt, lasting for a little more than a minute, consists of jumps and turns, and paints a lively picture of Spanish culture. He had performed the role since high school, living up to its technical and artistic challenges.

Despite years of practice, Zhang felt nervous when he competed in the Prix de Lausanne, which turned out to be a life-changing opportunity for him as he won a scholarship to study at the English National Ballet School as a result.

He recalls the competition's stage sloped.

"I was so nervous," Zhang says. He had heard about many dancers falling due to the stage design.

To overcome this fear, he focused more on expressing Basilio's joyful feelings about his wedding. "I did it, and I didn't make a single mistake."

Zhang fell in love with ballet soon after he started to learn it.

"I was the only boy in a class full of girls, and they teased me about it. I was embarrassed. But, at the same time, I enjoyed the attention for being able to stand out."