AFTER hundreds of hours of rehearsals in the dance studio, it is almost time to take their moves onto the main stage.

More than 4,000 children and teenagers across Hampshire and beyond including these youngsters from Townhill Junior School, Southampton, will take the spotlight to compete in the Global Rock Challenge 2010 at Southampton Guildhall.

For the week-long event, schools, colleges and youth clubs will battle it out in the hope of making it through to regional finals by wowing the judging panel with an eight to ten-minute routine they have choreographed themselves.

The Daily Echo will feature every local school as we follow their fortunes from next Monday to Sunday in a Rock Challenge special available at the event.

Echo picture by Joanna Mann. Order no: 9967804