As night fell, the stage of the Shengjing Grand Theatre in Shenyang came alive with excitement. Amid admiration from onlookers, a young Pakistani man was deftly waving a lion’s head, making it blink and its mouth ajar.

Hamza came to study in Shenyang driven by an obsession with Chinese acrobatics. During rehearsals for the original acrobatic drama Xiansheng (Starting Sounds), created by the Shenyang Acrobatic Performing Arts Corp, he was granted rare backstage access, where he witnessed a series of breathtaking feats, including stilt-walking, aerial flying bar, and jumping through hoops.

Xiansheng integrates acrobatic performance into the historical experience of Shenyang, representing an innovative fusion of traditional artistry and major historical themes. The production deconstructs and reintegrates over 30 spectacular acrobatic skills and magic acts into the storyline, including lion dance, stilt-walking, aerial flying bar, pole climbing, trick cycling, and net suspension. The performers’ remarkable skills provided a feast for Hamza’s eyes.

Among all the skills, lion dance captivated him the most. When he first lifted the heavy lion head, he was surprised: “I didn’t expect it to be this heavy.” What fascinated him even more was the ingenious “mechanism” inside: two thin strings that control the lion’s blinking eyes. He was deeply impressed by the craftsmanship.

Quick to learn and eager to engage, Hamza soon won the affection of the performers, who even gifted him a ticket to watch Xiansheng. The experience further deepened his love for acrobatics, inspiring a new wish: to return in his free time and be apprenticed to masters.