New cirque du soleil show to open in Aug

"He is so amazing and generous that he gave us access to documents of Avatar. This is very important because it allowed us to invent new creatures and characters," says Veilleux of the partnership with Cameron.

"In Toruk-The First Flight, we're telling that story and we've tied that into the movie. Our goal here is to tell a story, not just to present acrobatics. That's why the acrobatics in the show is a supporting element linked with all the projection and puppetry that makes the show so unique."

Lamarre notes that Fosun International Ltd's entry as a shareholder of Cirque du Soleil has helped the company better engage Chinese spectators.

"Fosun acts as a 'cultural translator' to help us better understand the complex Chinese market, and as a facilitator that introduces us to the right people, opening doors and generally providing support to facilitate our growth in China," says Lamarre, who was in Beijing last December when the company's touring show Kooza was in town.