By Farah Master
LONDON, Oct 24 (Docklands Wire) – Gymnasts training at an east London club are making the leap to Hollywood as stunt doubles in multi-million dollar action blockbusters.
The East London gymnastics centre in Beckton has trained gymnasts like Jaime Blake, 31, who played Halle Berry’s stunt double in the 2002 James Bond film ‘Die Another Day.’ Blake who stood in for the academy award winning actress with her daring back flips, is a teacher at the East London centre.
“When you see Halle Berry do the sommersault off the wall, that wasn’t Halle Berry that was Jaime,” said James Atkinson, a volunteer at the centre.
The gym, one of the London’s largest, trains 600 students a year. Atkinson’s wife Lorraine, who set up the gymnastics club 24 years ago, now runs it as registered charity.
Successful gymnasts at the centre are regularly employed as stunt doubles in adverts and films. Talula Craig, 25, selected to play Tintin’s double in the 2004 film “Thunderbirds”, has trained with the Atkinsons since she was three years old.
Craig, training to become a professional stunt artist, said gymnastics was growing in appeal to boys and girls. “Gymnastics is increasingly more popular from the telly, it seems a lot cooler now.”
OVERSUBSCRIBED
Gymnasts wishing to join the centre usually have to wait at least three months to be accepted. Gymnastics is “massively oversubscribed” says Atkinson.
London’s 72 clubs train more than 24,000 gymnasts with the demand from students exceeding the space for them to learn. Due to the sport’s popularity, Atkinson said the centre was very strict on commitment and punctuality. “They just get one chance or they’re out.”
Fees range from £3 to 50 pence an hour depending on the level of the gymnast.
As a registered charity, the centre receives sponsorship from Music Television Video (MTV), Newham council and East London entrepreneur and philanthropist Jack Petchey. With a revenue of £144, 585 in 2007 most of the club’s funds come from annual membership fees of £25 each.
The centre typically sign up 30 new recreational students at a time, with very few progressing to the 30-member elite squad. The club is training a young team for the 2016 Olympics.
