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.

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 the Dartmouth Skating 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 STARSkate championship stream
• specifically designed awards and incentives such as badges, tattoos and stickers
• 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.

These are some of the awards and incentives that have been developed to encourage athletes in the STARSkate Program.

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
• Interpretive: Silver, Gold

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. 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.

There are 6 Skating Skills tests in the STARSkate program:

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

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.

The Dance Tests are as follows:

• 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 Skating tests in the STARSkate Program:

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

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

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:

• Introductory
• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold

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.

COMPETITIVESKATE

Skaters who wish to challenge their figure skating skills and who show potential as competitive skaters can participate in the CompetitiveSkate program.

WHAT IS COMPETITIVESKATE?

CompetitiveSkate is a program for skaters in singles, pair and ice dance wishing to compete in qualifying events within Skate Canada.

IT’S MORE THAN JUST SKATING!

Skaters enrolled in CompetitiveSkate learn a variety of life skills as they progress up the competitive ladder. These include goal setting, focus, ability to deal with success/failure, time management and principles of fair play and sportsmanship. In addition to the life skill benefits, skaters in this program receive:

• access to provincial and national funding programs (as applicable)
• the opportunity to be selected to Skate Canada’s National Team
• the opportunity to compete at Skate Canada Sectionals, Skate Canada Challenge, and/or the Canadian Figure Skating Championships
• opportunity and potential to be selected to represent Canada internationally
• access to sport science services

IF I PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITIVE PROGRAM, IS THAT ALL I CAN DO?

No! Many skaters who compete in the qualifying event structure also take tests in Skate Canada’s STARSkate Program or participate on synchronized skating teams. The only events that you may not be able to compete in are club, and STARSkate events, some which restrict entry of skaters who have competed in the qualifying event system.

THE QUALIFYING EVENT STRUCTURE

There are several opportunities throughout the season for skaters to participate in competitive events.

The Skate Canada CompetitiveSkate Program offers nationally standardized competitions to competitive skaters. These events are the stepping stones to things such as the National Team and the World and Olympic teams. Skaters competing in the qualifying event structure can do so at the Juvenile (optional category), Pre-Novice, Novice, Junior and Senior levels in singles, pair and ice dance.

Skate Canada Sectionals

The Skate Canada Sectionals are the first of the Skate Canada qualifying competitions. Skaters can compete in events from Pre-Novice to Senior (Juvenile is optional). Those who finish in the top four places (8 places in Quebec) in the Pre-Novice, Novice, Junior and Senior events are eligible to compete at the Canadian Qualifying Event (Challenge). Each of the 13 Sectional events takes place in November.

Skate Canada Challenge

The Skate Canada Challenge is an elimination event for the Canadian Figure Skating Championships (Novice, Junior and Senior skaters). Pre-Novice National Champions will be declared at a combined Challenge event in each discipline. These events are held in December.

Senior skaters qualify through these events for the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Number of athletes/entries qualifying for and competing at national championships
	Singles	Pair	Dance	Notes
Novice	18	12	15	These numbers include skaters receiving a bye
Junior	18	12	15	These numbers include skaters receiving a bye
Senior	18	12	15	These numbers include skaters receiving a bye

 

Canadian Figure Skating Championships

The Canadian Figure Skating Championships are held every January in a different city. Competition is offered in singles, pair and ice dancing at the Novice, Junior and Senior level.

The top four Senior entries from the Qualifying Events (Challenge) are eligible to compete. Skaters will compete at Challenge other than those receiving a bye.

After completion of the Championships, the Skate Canada Board of Directors selects the teams that will represent Canada at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, ISU Junior World Championships as well as the ISU Four Continents team. Results from this event are also used to help determine what skaters will be on the National teams.

Where Do I Go From Here?

There are a number of options once a skater decides that the Competitive Program may not be the Program for them. Skaters may choose to enter Skate Canada’s STARSkate Program or participate on a Synchronized Skating team. Others who are leaving the Competitive Program to pursue other interests may be interested in becoming coaches, evaluators, judges, technical specialist, technical controller or data specialists. Others may choose to participate on a varsity skating team (if offered), or continue to skate and compete as an adult member of the Association.