Feature Focus
Arts studio hits the big screen
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| School of hard knocks: instructor Steve Benitez, right, with Alvin Guinanao at EastWest Studios |
Think of martial arts and it conjures images of high- octane physical contact and clinical brutality.
But a performing arts studio in Hendon is combining traditional combat skills with modern street dance to promote self-discipline in the community, and will kick- start a potential blockbuster movie project in Hollywood.
EastWest Studios, in Watford Way, is an academy focused on providing opportunities for young people in the area. Operational manager Simon Robinson said the studio aims to "stop
the cycle of antisocial behaviour".
Through a mix of dance, yoga and martial arts, EastWest hopes to motivate young offenders and families, and instill discipline in society.
He added: "We want to put people on the path to empowering themselves and feeling like they have something to offer others. We do this with a combination of hard training, inspirational speakers and offering a place to call home."
"We are trying to give people a chance by showing them mentors who have been down the wrong road, who have turned away from it, and can speak about it to the children.
"It gives people a sensible choice they can make in their own lives. They don't have to end up in prison and can do something exciting."
EastWest Studios was opened in 2003 as a full-time martial arts academy which also offered personal training and street dance.
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| Set for success: Dark Eden director Mark Wilenkin, crouched, filming a 12-minute showreel in Bradford last year |
It is involved with communities nationally through a series of seminars and training in different parts of the UK, and internationally it works alongside its sister charity, Our Orphans, to raise money for new orphanages in deprived countries, including Thailand, India and Brazil.
Mr Robinson, 30, of Sevington Road, Barnet, said the students who train at the studios are taking on board the lessons that come with learning the skills.
He added: "We have had such a great reaction to the programmes we run.
"Children who were angry at the world are now coming here and wanting to try new things and learn how to fight properly, start dancing, and acting; it's really inspiring."
The work at the academy is part of Golden Light Studios, a production company which is set to begin filming a Hollywood action movie, called Dark Eden.
The £70 million project is being produced by Chuck Gordon, whose films include Die Hard and Waterworld.
About 12 people from the Hendon studio will be involved in the film, either in the cast or behind the scenes.
Training for the movie will be carried out at EastWest Studios, with Hendon actress Samantha Aguilar taking the lead role.
Filming will start in a few months' time and most of it will be shot in Hawaii.
Johnny Silmon, a personal trainer at the studio, is
helping in the film's pre-
production stage, and is proud the project will be community-based.
"Incredible things are going on here. We are putting a lot of faith into the actors.
"There are tireless amounts of practise going on, and this project is absolutely going to come off."
Dark Eden is due to be released early next year.
10:00am Thursday 17th April 2008
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