Power Up! The Power Pak Dance Intensive – What To Know

If your child has competed in Star Dance Alliance events, you may have seen some dancers being given a brochure about something called Power Pak. After years of my daughters receiving these coveted invitations, Jocelyn decided to give it a try. So in July of 2024, we packed our bags and headed to Orlando, Florida! What you’ll read is a combination of information from our first hand experience, as well details from official SDA (Star Dance Alliance) sources.

What Is Power Pak?

According to the website, “Power Pak is an exclusive, dance intensive comprised of the most elite dancers from all across the country. Power Pak participants are hand selected and receive invitations at all Star Dance Alliance events.” So if your dancer receives a brochure at Starpower, Nexstar, Imagine, Believe, Revolution, or DreamMaker events, you’re in! 

In a nutshell, your dancer will spend six days at the intensive. In recent history, SDA has hosted Power Pak in two locations: Ocean City, Maryland and Orlando, Florida. Over the course of the six days we attended, Jocelyn’s days were a mix of classes, fun events, and rehearsals. The rehearsals are for the opening number of the Battle of the Stars at the end of the Starpower National Competition that runs during the Power Pak. 

Why We Finally Went

First of all, I was down to just one of my daughters dancing (Jayden decided to stop competing, which I wrote about in Leaving Competitive Dance Behind). So we could better handle the expense of the intensive, while the rest of the family could enjoy a vacation in sunny Orlando. Secondly, Jocelyn took more opportunities throughout the year to go “all in.” She participated in more optional conventions and competitions (in addition to adding a second solo). We had heard great things about Power Pak, so we figured there was no time like the present to give it a go. 

The Registration Process

We received an email from Power Pak in April, alerting us that registration had opened. When you register, you will need to make some choices (if it is anything like 2024’s process), including: 

Improv Showcase

If your dancer likes demonstrating their skills in a variety of genres, they probably will enjoy this. They are broken into age categories (junior, teen, or senior). Then they perform with a small group in “rounds.” After narrowing the field down, the remaining dancers will perform individually until a winner is declared. The dancers can wear normal dance attire, and any performers and/or chaperones are invited to watch. If you do not sign up during registration, you might still be able to (check your email). We did not participate in this; with it being our first year, we tried to avoid overwhelming ourselves.

Next Step Program

The details on this were scarce ahead of the event, so we did not enroll. However, a couple of other dancers that participated said they received instruction on how to excel in an audition. They reported that just a small number of dancers took part in this.

Commuter or Hotel

In Orlando, Power Pak was held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. Since we already had lodging arrangements elsewhere, we commuted. 

Spectator Options

I personally wanted to witness as much as I could, so I purchased a spectator package with an observer pass. The pass gets you into the regular classes, but not the closed rehearsals. With the package, I was also able to attend the Gala on the second-to-last night. You can buy spectator tickets for the Glow Party, which I did. However, I personally would not again because my girl is old enough to be on her own. But if you have younger kids, you’ll probably want to attend. 

Other Considerations

You will also need to provide the chaperone’s contact information and an alternate contact. Then decide whether or not you want to order a jacket, your media package choice, and include a headshot. We had a slight problem with providing a headshot at the time of registration because we had not had our photo session yet. So I uploaded an older photo and emailed the current photo as soon as I could.

The two staff members I communicated with were very helpful and accommodating. If your dancer earned a scholarship, you will be able to enter that as well. Be prepared to leave a deposit at the time you register. Our total cost was over $1,000, so we put down the first $500 when we signed up.

The Schedule

This was our first (and only, so far) time attending Power Pak, so I only have this one schedule to share with you. I would imagine that it varies between the locations, and year to year. 

Day 1 – Arrival

1:00 PM – Orientation – Both performers (participants) and chaperones should attend. As we arrived, we saw signs with all of the team leaders set up outside the orientation room. The pictures of the performers assigned to each leader were also on each sign, so we immediately knew who to look for before the session started. After a general welcome, key staff members and the team leaders were introduced. At the end of the session, the performers went off with their respective team leaders for introductions and more getting-to-know-you activities. 

2:00 PM – Opening Class – I purchased an observer pass, so I stayed to watch. What struck me most was how much ROOM the kids had to dance! And I had my choice of where I wanted to sit; no jockeying for the one available chair in the room! Apprentices were spread around the room to help demonstrate the choreography, helping all of the performers to see the movements from wherever they were.

3:00 – 5:30 PM – Rehearsal – This is when the dancers start working on the opening number they will be performing during the Battle of the Stars for the Starpower competition that runs the same time as Power Pak. Chaperones cannot observe the rehearsal sessions. Younger teens were grouped with the juniors, and older teens were included in the senior group.

4:30 PM – Parent Information Meeting – Honestly, I cannot remember specifics from this session. I am sure we were just given the type of information you would expect.

Later That Evening – The Improv Showcase – From what I was told, this was an “open” event (meaning that anyone could watch). 

Day 2

8:15 AM – 12:00 PM – Warmup and Choreography Review – Again, this session was closed to observers.

12:00 PM – Lunch

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Classes – Throughout the week, the performers had classes in lyrical, contemporary, tap, hip-hop, musical theater, etc. We received the exact schedule (with the specific classes for each day) on the first day.

4:30 PM – Next Step Package – Because we did not participate, I cannot tell you exactly what happened during this session. Instead, we went to dinner and enjoyed some downtime.

7:00 PM – Activity with Team Leader – The performers are expected to participate in all team activities. Jocelyn enjoyed the scavenger hunt immensely! Plus, the kids got to bond with each other and had some stress-free fun.

Day 3 – Spirit Day

Day 3’s schedule was exactly the same as Day 2, with the exception of the Team Activity. Instead, we attended the Glow Party. A DJ spun some tunes, costumed characters mingled with the guests, and we visited stations that served snacks and drinks. The dancers were told to dress in bright neon colors, which really popped with the black lights. The younger kids ran around like crazy while the older ones clustered in social groups, taking selfies in front of the step-and-repeats.

Day 3 was our Spirit Day, so the kids dressed to the Taylor Swift-inspired theme “In My Nationals Era.”

Day 4

8:15 AM – 1:00 PM – Warm-Up, Review, and Rehearsal. Then we were done with our day! I don’t know if it was because it was Fourth of July, or if the Day 4 schedule typically ends early, but we were happy to enjoy our day!

Day 5 

8:00 AM – Next Step Package – Since we did not sign up for this, we did not have to report for another hour.

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Warm-Up, Review, and Rehearsal

9:15 AM – Parent Meeting – We went over what to expect for the next day’s Battle of the Stars performance

12:00 PM – Lunch

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Classes

7:00 PM – Awards Gala – This was a banquet-style dinner where the dancers were given awards and other special accolades. Everyone in attendance is expected to dress up (no problem for my girl, but a virtual nightmare for me).

We began with each leader taking their group (and the dancers’ parents) to a designated place outside the ballroom to give team awards. For example, Jocelyn won the “Total Package” award. Every performer got some award, so the special recognition was a nice touch.

The teams then re-entered the ballroom for overall awards. Jocelyn won a “Werk” award for her age group, and received a bracelet as her prize. Power Pak apprentices for the following year were named as well. Dinner was served buffet-style, and you could grab dessert from a table. Jocelyn concluded her night by taking selfies with all her new friends, and posting their pics to social media.

Day 6 – The Final Day 

7:30 AM – Meet Team Leader – In the spirit of full disclosure, I can’t remember what the exact meeting time was. It might have been 7:00, truth be told. After they warmed up, the dancers rehearsed and took group pictures. The Battle of the Stars started at 9:30 AM, and the junior/teen dancers kicked off the action before the seniors/teens group took the stage. The dancers were free to go after their performance. 

Pay Attention To Those Emails!

A couple of weeks before Power Pak, we received emails with what we would need to bring as well as other useful information. My advice would be to read them as soon as humanly possible because some require immediate action, as well as a packing list and other important tidbits.

• Battle of the Stars Opening Routine – The Power Pak kids are required to purchase specific items for their outfit for this routine. Last year, the older dancers needed to buy a specific white cowboy hat with rhinestone trim, which had to be ordered with the link they sent. We also needed a loose-fitting men’s button-down white shirt and black leggings. The younger dancers needed general dancewear in neon colors. We also received instructions regarding hair and makeup. 
• Glow Party – All the Power Pak performers can attend the Glow Party, so they will need a neon outfit to wear. Thankfully, we already had a few pieces that would work, so we did not need to buy anything. 

Reflecting on the Experience

I hesitate to refer to this section as anything resembling advice, so take it as you will. Everyone’s experience will undoubtedly be different, so take your dancer’s (and family’s) needs and preferences into account when making important decisions.

Overcommitting – We attended Starpower Nationals at the end of June last year. The final day of the competition was Friday, so we came home late that night. The next day was spent doing laundry and packing, and we were on a plane the following morning (Sunday). The first day of Power Pak was Monday, so we felt like we were running nonstop for a solid week by the time it even started. I would definitely not recommend jumping from one major dance event to Power Pak if you can avoid it. But if you must, it can be done.

Making Connections – I wondered how my reserved daughter would fare, since she was the only dancer from our studio in the Senior room. But I need not have worried – she made some great friends, and had an absolute blast. Truly, it seemed like everyone was pretty friendly and open to meeting new people. 

Preparing for Mishaps – As it turned out, the rhinestone trim fell off most of the dancers’ cowboy hats within the first two rehearsals. Thankfully, the mother of one of my daughter’s new friends brought a hot glue gun and let us borrow it to fix the hat. I inwardly kicked myself for not foreseeing that problem, but so grateful that someone else did! Other than that, we were well-prepared; we followed the packing list the Power Pak staff had emailed ahead of time, and did not seem to be missing anything.

Staying Onsite – We were able to score a hotel reservation nearby at a fantastic rate, so we saved quite a bit of money staying off the premises. However, I would strongly consider staying at the property next time. Shuttling back and forth via Uber was actually pretty easy, but it did take time away from us. Once, Jocelyn forgot her knee pads at our hotel so I had to race back to grab them, and head back to the Dolphin. As it turned out, she never used them (of course). But I would have been less stressed if I knew that everything we needed was just an elevator ride away, rather than a half-hour round-trip drive.  

What I Would Change – I couldn’t help but notice that the schedule seemed to be mostly driven by the rehearsals for the opening number at the end of the week. At least once, a class was replaced because they needed more rehearsal time. Jocelyn said she didn’t mind because she absolutely loved the routine. The opening number performance was amazing, so you could argue that the end justified the means.

Something else I noticed was that the performers that were familiar to the teachers were typically the ones given featured parts in the opening routine, as well as being “called out” in class. While I’m sure it’s easier to choreograph showcase parts for kids you already know, the imbalance was pretty noticeable.

Would we do it again? Absolutely! Jocelyn said it was one of the best dance experiences she ever had, and that’s saying something! We’re going to skip it this year (2025) because the Orlando dates overlap with our nationals, and I’m getting married in August. Since we already have so much going on, something’s gotta give. But we’re hopeful that she can attend in 2026; once a dancer attends a Power Pak, they are welcome to attend until they age out. She enjoyed being pushed, working with amazing faculty, participating in an impressive performance, and learning alongside fantastic dancers. 

Thank you so much to the Star Dance Alliance for this amazing event, and for the Power Pak staff for all the hard work they put into it. Until next time!

For another Star Dance Alliance intensive, check out Getting Wild: A Dance Intensive!