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Skate Canada's STARSkate Program

Skills, Tests, Achievement, Recognition – this is what STARSkate is all about!

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. Unique in Canada, this program teaches figure skating skills in a group and/or private lesson format in a progressive and sequential manner and includes specifically designed awards and incentives. Skaters have the opportunity to take Skate Canada Tests through a nationally standardized testing system. Skaters who have mastered figure skating skills in STARSkate may also choose to pursue synchronized skating or pairs 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, and may choose participate in competitions throughout the year, after joining the Select Team program or securing the services of a Private Coach.

At the London Skating Club skaters can enter into our STARSkate figure skating stream before completion of CanSkate:

  • Any skater can join our PRE-STARSKATE Group programming   once they have completed CanSkate Stage 4. CanSkate Levels 5 and 6 will be completed in these group sessions along with Preliminary figure skating skills
  • Once a skater is working on CanSkate stage 3, they are eligible to attend tryouts for our Select Team program, which provides Talent Identified skaters a more intensive training program to allow them to fully utilize their skills with the end goal of developing competitive skaters in a group coaching model and team environment. 
  • Upon completion of CanSkate Stage 6, and with instruction by a private coach, our figure skaters can transition into our STARSkate levels in a private coaching/independent skating environment.

Soon we will see changes from Skate Canada with a re-launch of the STARSkate program which will be implemented at the London Skating Club for Fall/Winter 2017. Stay tuned for more information regarding these changes in session structure and qualifications.


How STARSkate works

Once a skater is in the Skate Canada STARSkate Program, there are several of options.

Skaters may choose to remain in the STARSkate Program, doing assessments/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.

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

Skating Skills:

Skating Skills are 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.

  • Skating Skills Assessments:
    • STAR 1 to 10 and Gold

Ice Dance:

The ice dance assessment 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.

  • Dance Assessments (pattern dance assessments and element assessments): 
    • STAR 2 to Gold consists of pattern dances, dance step assessments and a Gold Rhythm Dance
      • Pattern dances are the skating of prescribed steps on patterns to music, the type and tempo for which is defined. These dances may be performed solo, shadow or with a partner.

    •  STAR 1, STAR 3b and STAR 5b are dance step element assessments
    • Diamond Dance Tests

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. 

  • Freeskate Assessments (element assessments and program assessments):
    • STAR 1 to 10 elements
    • STAR 2 to 10 and Gold programs

Artistic and Couples 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 2.0 to 3.0 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.
  • Artistic program assessments: 
    • STAR 5, 7, 9 and Gold programs

 

Competitions 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 CompetitiveSkate 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 STARSkate Championship program provides opportunities for skaters who want to remain in the STARSkate program but also want to have the challenge of competing up to a Sectional level in a credible, nationally standardized event.

Invitational Competitions:

These are events coordinated by a Section or Club(s) and offered, generally, to STARSkaters and competitive skaters. Most events fall within Skate Canada's specifications regarding program length and eligibility to compete. For more information contact the hosting Section or club.