StarSkate 

 

Skills, Tests, Achievement, Recognition- These are the fundamentals of the STARSkate program.

 

STARSkate offers opportunities for skaters of all ages to develop fundamental figure skating skills in the areas of ice dance, skating skills, free skate and interpretive skating.

Skate Canada’s STARSkate program teaches figure skating skills in a progressive and sequential manner, in group lesson and/or private session formats. Skaters have the opportunity to take Skate Canada Tests through a nationally standardized testing system, may choose to participate in competitions throughout the year, or join other figure skating disciplines such as synchronized skating, or pairs.

This session is open to STAR skaters of all levels. Beginner STAR skaters (Stage 1-3) will be taught by professional coaches in a group lesson format. STAR skaters stage 5 and up will be given an option of group lessons or individual skating time.

 

Options for StarSkate Athletes

Once in the StarSkate Program, our StarSkate Athletes are able to choose from several development options. Skaters may continue with the StarSkate program, taking tests at organized test sessions and sharpening their learned skills. Skaters may choose to enter competitions, while continuing to try SkateCanada tests. Other skaters may wish to enter SkateCanada CompetitiveSkate Program or become involved in synchronized skating.

 

Skating Skills

Skating Skills are a combination of fundamental skating movements, executed on a pattern and skated solo. Basic components of all disciplines of figure skating are incorporated into the program. The movements are derived from former compulsory figures, free skating and ice dancing.  The objective of the Skating Skills program is mastery of the basic fundamentals of skating- edge quality, control, power and speed.

There are 6 Skating Skills tests in the STARSkate program:

•  Preliminary
• Junior Bronze
• Senior Bronze
• Junior Silver
• Senior Silver
• Gold

 

Ice Dance

Ice Dancing consists of seven levels of tests. The dance test program teaches timing, musicality, rhythm interpretation, structure as well as basic skating skills such as edges, flow, control and unison.  

The dances in the STARSkate Program can be tried in any order, but a skater must pass the required number of dances in a dance test level before proceeding to the next level. In addition to the compulsory dances, there are also creative dances t challenge skaters' creativity, artistry, and originality. 

The Dance Test levels in the STARSkate program are:

• Preliminary
• Junior Bronze
• Senior Bronze
• Junior Silver
• Senior Silver
• Gold
• Diamond

 

Free Skate

Free Skating consists of the execution of jumps, spins, footwork, field movements and stroking, either in isolation or performed in sequence to music. 

There are six Free Skate tests in the STARSkate Program, where each test contains 2 parts- Elements in Isolation and a free program:

• Preliminary
• Junior Bronze
• Senior Bronze
• Junior Silver
• Senior Silver
• Gold

 

Interpretive

The objective of the interpretive program is to encourage and develop skaters' creativity, expression, musicality, movement, interpretation of music, as well as the use of space, rhythm, line and style. The program provides skaters with the opportunity to explore the performance aspect of skating without focusing on technical elements. 

The interpretive tests consist of skating to and interpreting a piece of music 2 to 3 minutes (+/- 10 seconds) in length. Skaters can take interpretive tests as individuals and/or as a couple (male/female, female/female, or male/male) at four levels:

• Introductory 
• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold