The university required students to study a traditional theater form abroad on an exchange program during the third year, which became his first opportunity to study Peking Opera in China.

"Some of my classmates went to India, for example, but my dream was to go to China — it was a no-brainer," he says.

In 2009, he and two other students arrived at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing to study Peking Opera for six months.

Although he had no Chinese language skills or background in Peking Opera, teachers from the academy helped him grasp the essence of the performing art form through rigorous teaching and setting high standards.

"We come from a physical theater background, so our strength is good. We are good at splits and somersaults, and our minds and discipline are strong," he says.