Chance to star in kung fu film (From Witney Gazette)

Chance to star in kung fu film

8:00am Sunday 28th January 2007 in Headlines

AN X-FACTOR-style contest has been launched to find Oxfordshire's answer to Bruce Lee.

Two teenagers could get the chance to be trained by a Shaolin Warrior monk in China and appear in a kung fu movie.

The Oxford Taiji Gongfu Institute wants to discover youngsters between the ages of 14- and 19-years-old who have the potential to become kung fu stars.

The institute's Lei Zhou, partner Jer Jang and grandmaster Kong Jie Gou hope to raise the profile of kung fu in this country and create its first kung fu movie star.

Mr Gou, 60, said the aim was to find somebody with the attributes to become a champion.

He said: "The things we will be looking for are strength, flexibility, speed, power and accuracy.

'The things we will be looking for are strength, flexibility, speed, power and accuracy'

Kong Jie Gou

"The competition is open to anyone. Someone might be an expert, but they may not embody everything we are looking for. We want to find someone who has the right spirit."

The winners of the competition will spend a month in China where they will get the opportunity to train with the monk and have lessons at a leading martial arts school.

They will also give a kung fu demonstration on the Great Wall of China and visit a film studio where they will get to star alongside a martial arts star.

Mr Jang, 23, said: "It is a fantastic opportunity for a young person in Oxfordshire. It is incredibly hard to become a Shaolin Warrior Monk so being trained by one will be a once in a lifetime experience."

The trip is being funded by a number of grants from public bodies, but Mr Zhou said that if local sponsors could be found more young people could go.

"We definitely have enough funding to be able to take two young people, but it would be great if we could take five," he said.

The closing date to enter the competition is the end of April, and winners will go to China in August.

The Flying Dragon Performance Team are also putting on a display at Oxford Castle from noon to 2pm on Sunday, February 4.

To enter the competition, or for more information, call Mr Zhou on 07859 012576 or email info@mastergou.co.uk