When 25-year-old ballet dancer Chun Wai Chan was named principal dancer by the Houston Ballet in the recently concluded holiday season, his dream of winning that role in an elite group had come true sooner than he had expected.

"I was named first soloist in June 2017, and I thought it would take me a couple of years before I made it to a principal," said Chan.

Born in Huizhou, Guangdong, he later moved to Hong Kong with his family. Chan began dancing in elementary school at the local Children's Palace. Gifted, he was encouraged to apply to Guangzhou Arts School, the best in the province. He was admitted in 2004 when he was 12.

"That meant I had to leave home and go to Guangzhou. My family did not want me to be away, and all voted against this. I wrote three long letters to my father, explaining why I wanted to do this. Eventually my family was convinced that this was truly my passion and let me go. I went, I missed home, and I cried," Chan said.

Chan said he's grateful that a teacher focused his attention on training when he was homesick, and he trained hard.

"I had my dreams. I wanted to win prizes and I wanted to study overseas," he said.

He wouldn't rest or eat unless he finished the daily 50 leg kicks, and he exercised his stomach muscles and leg muscles in bed at night. He took photos of his own movements to improve.

In 2009, Chan won second place in the Taoli Cup, the most prestigious competition dedicated to professional young dancers in China. By 2010, he had won international competitions, including the 2010 Prix de Lausanne, and received multiple invitations to dance from all over the world.

He joined Houston Ballet II on full scholarship in 2010, and he had improved greatly during his two years of training.

Chan believed that his goal to become a principal dancer was too distant when he first came to Houston.

"I figured the only thing I could do was to try my best at what I was doing," he said.

His best effort earned him the Houston Ballet Academy Promising Student Award in 2011. Chan joined the Houston Ballet in 2012. A world-class dance troupe, Houston Ballet puts on more than 70 performances a year. It gave Chan opportunities to perform various roles in Houston and around the world. He was invited to collaborate with dance groups in other cities.

In 2015, when the assigned soloist couldn't perform, Chan became the main character in Serenade.

"I did a total of seven performances. My knee became inflamed, I had a fever, my head hurt, but I persevered and did all that was requested of me," he said.

Chan was promoted to demi soloist in 2015.

When Houston Ballet was preparing for La Bayadere, it saw how well Chan danced and gave him the leading role for one performance. Then he was promoted to soloist in June 2017, and became one of five principal male dancers in December 2017.

"Although I wanted to become a principal, I did not expect it to really come true, and certainly not this quick. Dreams do come true after all, and 2017 was a perfect year for me," said Chan.

In December 2016, US Dance Magazine named Chan one of the "Top 25 to Watch", a list of rising star dancers in the US. "Chun Wai Chan oozes confidence - and has the technical chops to warrant it,"wrote the magazine.

Chan said he has six dreams related to dance: winning prizes, going abroad, becoming a principal dancer, playing the lead role in Swan Lake and Giselle, and performing a leading role in China in front of his family and friends.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com