How did the STARS program originate?  How does such a great idea build into a National Organization?  Successful ideas seldom make a dramatic entrance onto the historical stage, but instead develop from experience, knowledge, and a decent share of dedication.

Pat Rhodes, a seventeen-year-old instructor, taught classes in ballet, precision dance, and baton twirling in her mother’s studio, the old Smith Cannery in Clearfield, Utah.  At this time, Pat was a high school cheerleader:  “One day, my pompoms happened to be at the studio, and my kids picked up the pompoms and started to play with them.”  This marked the beginning of the junior drill team concept, a group of girls age 8 to 12 doing a pompom routine. Pat reflects:  “I taught them this cute little routine and we performed at a half-time at a church ball game.  We sewed some cute little cotton uniforms with buttons down the front, and our pompoms were made out of net.”

Pat’s dance classes continued to grow along with the concept of the junior performing groups.  She soon taught seventeen different junior drill teams; the Pink Pantherettes, Purple-ettes, Cool Cats, Polka Dots, Pixie-ettes, Daisy-ettes, just to name a few.  Every team had different talent levels and it was soon necessary to take action.  Pat’s solution proved to be the major turning point in the development of the STARS program.  Pat explains,  “In 1970, I decided I would like to have an All Star team like they do in baseball, and draw the best kids from each of my teams, so that’s what I did.  I called them the All Stars!  We had beautiful red costumes that were velvet with a circular skirt and sheer sleeves with velvet cuffs.  They practiced once a week and did the prestigious performances.”

 By 1979, Pat had divided her All Star team into four teams according to height; Mini, Small, All, and Super Stars, known as the STARS!  As they gained recognition, their performance schedule reached beyond Utah.  The first out-of-state performance at the Miss Drill Team USA Pageant in Santa Monica marked the beginning of a successful career for the STARS.  Their list of credits include performances at a variety of activities and venues.

Audiences across the Nation loved the STARS.  Their success was based on more that standing ovations and the glitter and glory of performing.  It was founded on Pat’s philosophy about teaching kids to dance.  Pat believes that “the bond develops between you and the child because she is giving you her all, and you are giving her 100%, too.  It is a bond that you can have with the kids by motivating them to work hard and then saying, ‘You look great’  and really meaning it; knowing the reason they look so good is because they earned it.”

Because of the tremendous success of Pat and the STARS, the concept of developing a national program for junior dance teams was initiated in February of 1980.  STARS National became a reality, and the search for qualified STARS Directors began.  Today, thousands of STARS are performing across the nation as the success story continues to grow.  Their talent, discipline, grooming, and overall professionalism have made them extremely popular in the entertainment business.  The STARS have become an international trademark of the professional excellence symbolizing commitment and an All-American spirit—the best junior dance teams in America—THE STARS!!!