 Sponsored by the Camillian Order, Michelini spent the first two years of his life in Taiwan studying Mandarin in Hsinchu.While in Hsinchu, Michelini watched Chinese films to learn the language, and also viewed performances of Chinese opera and glove puppetry.Soon after he moved to Luodong, Yilan, Michelini founded the Lanyang Dance Troupe in 1966, which expanded into the Lanyang Youth Catholic Center.