STARSkate runs from September 21, 2015 - April 26, 2016.

Skills, Tests, Achievement, and Recognition; this is what STARSkate stands for.

The STARSkate program allows skaters to participate in private or small group lessons.   Generally it is for those who have advanced beyond CanSkate but some skaters are in both programs.

In STARSkate you pay the Club for ice time and your Coach will bill you for lessons.    You should discuss with the coach of your choice when your child should skate and then book ice time (see Master Ice Schedule) by contacting the StarSkate Registrar. Skate Canada recommends that lessons should not occupy more than approximately one third of a skater’s ice time.  There must be enough practice time in a structured but unsupervised environment to enhance their ability to work on their own. In other words, skating lessons are like music lessons.

Your coach will advise you about tests and competitions.

The following are disciplines in STARSkate:

Skating Skills: a combination of fundamental skating movements, executed on a pattern and skated solo. 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: teaches timing, musicality, rhythm interpretation, structure as well as basic skating skills such as edges, flow, control and unison. There are both traditional compulsory dances, and Creative Dances to challenge skaters’ creativity, artistry and originality.

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

Interpretive: 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.