Programs:

Why sign up for CanSkate?

CanSkate is Canada's only national learn-to-skate program. It was developed by experts to teach the fundamentals of skating in a progressive and sequential manner.

When you/your child registers for a CanSkate program at your local Skate Canada club, you also become a member of Skate Canada, the national sport governing body for figure skating in Canada. Membership benefits in the CanSkate program can include:

• badges
• stickers
• tattoos
• colouring sheets
• parent information sheets
• progress updates and report cards
• special CanSkate events and club functions
• BMO CanSkater of the Year award program
• opportunity to be talent-scouted
• opportunity to participate in a positive healthy lifestyle activity

Program Structure

The CanSkate program focuses on the development of six fundamental movements organized in six stages of learning, with an optional 7th level for skaters who want to move into figure skating. The skills are arranged in progressions, from very simple to the more complex. Each stage has a primary focus. Once the skills on each stage are mastered, a badge is awarded. The series of badges include Stage badges, Fundamental Movement badges and Fitness badges.

The names of the STAGE badges are:
Stage 1 - Balance
Stage 2 - Glide Forward
Stage 3 - Glide Backward
Stage 4 - Edges
Stage 5 - Power
Stage 6 - Speed

The names of the FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT badges are:
Go Forward
Go Backward
Stop
Turn
Spin
Jump

The STARSkate legacy
STARSkate has been the mainstay of figure skating in Canada for more than four decades.

When you/your child registers for a STARSkate program at your local Skate Canada club, you also become a member of Skate Canada and will have access to:

Opportunities to be recognized through a nationally standardized testing system for achieving specific figure skating skills

Complimentary Gold Test pins

Invitational and interclub competitions, including the national STARSkate championship stream

Specifically designed awards and incentives such as badges, tattoos and stickers

STARSkate Bursary program

STARSkate Skater of the Year awards program

Progress updates and report cards

Special STARSkate events and club functions

Opportunity to be talent-scouted

Opportunity for personal growth and the development of important life skills such as goal-setting, self-discipline, confidence, time management, healthy lifestyle and coping strategies to deal with success and failure.

How STARSkate works

The STARSkate program consists of figure skating skills in four areas – Skating Skills, Ice Dance, Free Skate and Interpretive. Each area is divided into the following levels:

Primary Level Tests

• Skating Skills: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
• Free Skating: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
• Dance: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
• Interpretive: Introductory

Intermediate Level Tests

• Skating Skills: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver
• Free Skating: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver
• Dance: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver
• Interpretive: Bronze

Senior Level Tests

• Skating Skills: Senior Silver, Gold
• Free Skating: Senior Silver, Gold
• Dance: Senior Silver, Gold, Diamond

What Options do I have as a STARSkate Athlete?

Once a skater is in the Skate Canada STARSkate Program, there are several of options. Skaters may choose to remain in the STARSkate Program, taking tests (although not mandatory) at organized test sessions and honing learned skills. Skaters may also choose to enter competitions, while still trying Skate Canada tests. Other skaters may feel that they have progressed to a point where they may wish to enter the Skate Canada CompetitiveSkate Program or become involved in synchronized skating, evaluating or judging, or participate as an adult or varsity member.

Skating Skills

Skating Skills are a combination of fundamental skating movements, executed on a pattern and skated solo to prescribed music. The 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.

Ice Dance

Consisting 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 candidate must pass the required number of dances in a dance test before proceeding to the next level. In addition to the traditional compulsory dances, there are also Creative Dances to challenge skaters' creativity, artistry and originality.

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.

Each test consists of 2 parts - Elements in Isolation and a Free Program.

Competitons for STARSkate Athletes

STARSkate participants love to compete! Our feedback indicates that even though a skater may choose not to participate in the Skate Canada Competitive Skate Program, they still want the opportunity to test their skill in a competition situation. Skate Canada offers several opportunities to do this.

Club Competitions

Clubs offer competitions for their own members to compete against each other. The club determines the categories which generally follow Skate Canada STARSkate guidelines (e.g. length of program, category name, type of event offered, etc.) The club may also offer other creative events such as longest shoot-the-duck, similar pairs, spins and jumps, etc.)

STARSkate Interclub Competitions

These are events involving a number of clubs in the same region or area. The competition categories offered generally fall in line with the applicable Skate Canada Section specifications, so that all Interclubs within the Section are standardized (this allows Skate Canada Sections to offer a Section Final). The National STARSkate Interclub Championship stream provides opportunities for skaters who want to remain in the STARSkate program but also want to have the challenge of competing up to a national level in a credible, nationally standardized event.