Splendid performances dazzel South African audience(XINHUA)

Having established a steady business in Japan, the troupe has begun successful explorations into the European market. Its new show, entitled Nezha, focuses on integrating acrobatic acts into traditional Chinese fairytales, and will tour the United States for nine months starting this March.

Last year, the troupe toured many African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Lesotho. Both local audiences and companies showed great interest in Chinese acrobatics. The African continent is now seen as a potential market for the troupe, as it provides a healthy environment for foreign art troupes to make aggressive moves. 

According to Kuang, many performing arts troupes like the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe all face the same problem: high performing arts skill levels, but a lack of business savvy. It is now vital for the troupe to learn about business practices in foreign countries.

"Cultural industries have existed for a long time in Western countries, but are relatively new in China," she said. "The earlier and greater our efforts in these areas, the bigger chance we have of achieving success." 

Fabulous art

Created in 1947 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo has become the world's largest and most prestigious circus event. This year's festival was attended by 150 top-level circus artists from 20 countries and regions, and was the second festival since 2004 at which the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe took home the top prize.

Since 2006, the acrobats of the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe have taken home at least one international award every year. They even performed at the 2012 Oscar awards ceremony, a first for Chinese performers.

According to Sun Lili, deputy head of the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe, with a history of over 3,000 years, Chinese acrobatics has one of the oldest traditions among the different types of circus performance. To compete with newer acrobatic styles, the troupe must display innovation and creativity.

"If we cannot be creative in our performances, we cannot win awards," said Sun. "And without awards, you are nobody, and have no commercial value."

Performers are also a vital part of the art troupe. Becoming a good acrobat usually requires at least seven years of hard work and dedicated training. Offering higher salaries is the most effective way for the troupe to retain its talented performers.

According to Sun, the troupe has continually updated its payment policies for acrobats. The latest policy states that any acrobat who performed in the award-winning programs can have his or her pay increased by 20 percent.

"Since transitioning from being exclusively government funded to being more financially independent, government funds only cover our program production costs," said Sun, who has also worked as the troupe's deputy general manager since 2006. "We have to figure out how to pay all of our staff." 

Under pressure and fighting to survive, the troupe decided to focus on two things: creating better performances and increasing revenue.

The Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe used to rely more on overseas business, but after the West was hit by the international financial crisis, the importance of China's domestic market became clear to the troupe. In recent years, it has been exploring the Chinese market.

Now domestic business makes up a large share of the company's overall revenue. The troupe performs at two theaters in Beijing, relying on Beijing's brisk tourism industry to fill seats.Meanwhile, the troupe attaches great importance to copyright protections, which provide additional revenue by allowing the troupe to sell their copyright-protected material to other troupes, as well as run training class and produce spin-off products.

"We have to keep improving because this is a business," said Sun.