Get ready Londoners; Stratford’s arty canal-side enclave (that is Hackney Wick) is set to become the permanent base for some of the UK’s most extreme sports and art forms, in a bid to improve standards, tackle social problems and improve cohesion amongst young people in the wider community. 

A couple of weeks ago IC Movement, a specialist team of martial artists, dancers and other elite artists finally opened a brand spanking new training and development centre in East London in partnership with Streets United and the Cre8 Lifestyle Centre, known affectionately as ‘Skill Town‘.

And what a centre it is; it hosts an air floor system in the main hall which allows professional artists to train in the best possible environment – a strong sign that the local community is already reaping the rewards of the Olympic legacy. As CEO of the Cre8 Lifestyle Centre, John Herbert, emphasises: “The Hackney Wick area has needed something new to give inspiration for years.”

And excitement levels are definitely soaring in the wake of this new venture.

“We are extremely excited to launch the centre, as it will provide a flagship venue for artists to meet & train, something that is desperately needed in London”, said Adam Rae Ursell, Director of IC Movement.

Indeed, this centre is sure to become a haven for nurturing future talent both local and from further afield. Hackney Wick is quickly becoming known as ‘Skill Town’ territory, leveraging the infectious legacy off the back end of the glorious summer we’ve all just witnessed.

So what kind of professional artists will be honing their skills here? Well, there will be: Martial Arts, Tricking, Parkour, Wushu/Kung Fu, Tumbling, Contemporary Dance, Tae Kwon Do & Copoeira.

If you’re local to the area and you’ve a hunger for a sport that’s a little bit on the wild side, then why not get in touch with these guys? Here at East Village we’re more than excited for the future of Skill Town and what it holds for the people of Stratford and Hackney.