HUNDREDS of students from Bradford schools will take to the stage to compete in the regional heat of a competition.

A total of eight schools from the district will compete in the Rock Challenge, held next month.

School teams made up of 20 to 100 performers decides on a theme, then create the choreography for their five to eight-minute dance-drama performance, select and record the medley of music for their soundtrack, and design and make their sets and costumes.

The competition will be held over three successive nights at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham.

Southfield School, Tong Leadership Academy, and Bingley Grammar School will battle it out at the even’s opening night held on Monday, March 13.

There will be a district dominance on the second day of competition, on Tuesday, March 14, with three of the seven schools from Bradford. Beckfoot Thornton, Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College and Shipley College will take on schools from Huddersfield, Leeds and Lowestoft.

Meanwhile, Hanson Academy, Beckfoot Allerton Primary School and Nursery and High Crags Academy in Shipley, will take to the stage on the final day of competition, held on Wednesday, March 15. They will battle schools from Leeds, Wakefield and Doncaster.

They aim to advance to the Be Your Best J Rock Northern Final, held on Thursday, June 29.

The Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Open Final is on Friday, June 30 and the Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Premier Final will take place on Saturday, July 1. All three finals will take place at the Grimsby Auditorium.

Run by the Be Your Best Foundation, Rock Challenge was set up to get young people performing live on a professional stage to let them experience an “adrenalin-based high” through performing.

This year’s participating Bradford schools will be looking to emulate last year’s champions in a performance competition.

Tong High School won the Northern finals of the Rock Challenge last year, with their visually striking re-telling of the story of Pandora’s Box.

Meanwhile, Thornton Grammar School finished second in last year’s Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Premier Final.

Charlotte Payne, event co-ordinator, said: “Every year we see many different ideas and themes come to life at Rock Challenge and J Rock events across the UK.

“It’s inspiring to see the amount of work and time each school puts into creating their performance and the end results are testament to the determination and enthusiasm of the young people involved.”