After four years, it was time for Zhang to choose the path of becoming a professional ballet dancer.

"I chose it. But at the age of 8, I didn't know what being a professional ballet dancer meant at all," he says.

Zhang joined a school affiliated with the Liaoning Ballet, where he trained for six years before starting his undergraduate degree in ballet at Tongji University in Shanghai.

The milestones in Zhang's career came one after other, but one big disappointment taught Zhang how much he really loves the dance genre.

In 2013, right after his success at the Prix de Lausanne, he continued to train for another international competition in Moscow.

"I was not resting at all and pushed my body to the extreme. I was tired and didn't take care of myself properly."

Zhang had never had a problem with discipline and just kept pushing himself. But right before the competition, he fractured a bone. For the next four months, he was bed-ridden, unable to move his foot.

"I was disappointed and frustrated. I was scared that I may not be able to dance again after the cast was off."

Those days were his darkest. He experienced intense grief and self-doubt.

Then came his epiphany.

"I realized that I could not live without ballet. I never knew how much I loved ballet until then."

Zhang is working toward his next goal, which is to eventually perform lead roles at the English National Ballet.

"Every performance is a new challenge because I have to do my best to give the audience the best experience."