Tenants sang and danced their hearts out for a panel of judges.

StarCatchers, a talent contest run by A2 Dominion housing association, is open to its tenants, and residents of Oxford City Homes, Cataylst Housing Group, Sovereign Vale or Oxford Citizens Housing Association.

More than 20 contestants took part in auditions at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, in Oxpens Road, Oxford, on Saturday.

They included Elise Price, 15, from Kidlington, Nathaniel Williams, 14, from Faringdon, and Joe Gonzalez, 10, from Headington.

Joe, who performed street dance to Rock Your Body by Black Eyed Peas, said: “The judges were very kind and I hope I get through to the next round.”

Nathaniel, who performed a roller-skating routine, said: “I was in a team that appeared on Skate Nation on CBBC.

“I have done lots of ice-skating so I used those skills for my performance.”

Judges are auditioning singers, dancers, magicians and jugglers and the top prize is £1,000 and the chance to record a track in a recording studio.

The semi-final will be held on July 17 at the Kassam Stadium, with 10 finalists competing at the stadium for the top prize on July 24.

Contestants coming second and third win £200 each and the chance to record in the studio.

Fabia Cerra, from Greater Leys, who appeared on TV’s Britain’s Got Talent, was one of the judges.

She said: “These auditions have shown that there is lots of hidden talent out there and StarCatchers is a great way of bringing it out.”

The competition follows last year’s Tenants Got Talent event for housing association residents in Blackbird Leys, which attracted 30 entries.

Organiser Vikki Baker, community involvement co-ordinator at A2 Dominion, said: “Oxford is the first place we have tried StarCatchers but it seems to be bringing out lots of talent and we would like to run it across the country.”

Last year’s event was won by singer Corey Vaughan, nine, from Littlemore, Oxford.

Abingdon and Witney College student Rory Vettraino, 17, pictured, from Carterton, said: “I was doing a freestyle rap – something I made up myself.

“Four or five years ago I got rapping my own stuff and for about two years I have been freestyling it. It’s good fun.”

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk