GREEK mythology, equality and the adventures of Phileas Fogg were among the themes in the latest heat of Hampshire’s dance spectacular.

Dozens of schoolchildren from across the county battled it out onstage last night in the second heat of the Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge.

This week, hundreds of youngsters from every quarter of Hampshire are putting on themed dance routines at the O2 Guildhall in Southampton.

The winners of each of the five heats will go through to the southern final in June, as will some of the best-placed runners-up.

The event is part of the Global Rock Challenge, originally launched in Australia in the 1980s and which first came to Hampshire in 1996.

Last night, Southampton-based Bitterne Park School’s routine featured the Beatles, Donny Osmond and the Pointer Sisters’ I’m So Excited as it charted one man’s love and obsession through the decades.

Afterwards, pupil Charlotte Aldis, 17, from Weston, said: “Being on stage and performing it was amazing, we’ve been rehearsing since September for this.”

Henry Cort Community College from Fareham put on a performance based on Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days and featuring dancing styles from countries such as France, India and China.

Student Caitlin Moore, 16, from Fareham, said: “We wanted something that would stand out, and we thought it would be great to do something a bit different.”

Difference Is Brilliance was the name of Upper Shirley High School’s routine, which focused on the issues of equality and bullying and featured part of a Nelson Mandela speech.

Fifteen-year-old student Sharna Mutero, from Shirley, said: “We wanted to make the audience think. It was actually quite fun to perform, although I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life now we’ve done it.”

Southampton’s Itchen College took inspiration from the Ancient Greeks in a performance which took on the mythological themes of birth, life and death.

Holly Noonan, 18, from Locks Heath, said: “We wanted to do something on the themes of Greek mythology, but we also wanted to make it more modern and relate it to today.”

And the adventures of Robin Hood were the theme for Winchester’s Peter Symonds College.

Eighteen-year-old student Yasmin Reed, from Winchester, said: “We chose Robin Hood because everyone can relate to the story somehow. “It was amazing performing it, there was such a good atmosphere.”

The winner was Henry Cort Community College.

Tonight, Regents Park Community College, Richard Taunton Sixth Form College and Woodlands Community College from Southampton, and The Westgate School from Winchester and Hedge End’s Wildern School will compete in the third heat.