STARSKATE STREAM
Most skaters will participate in the STARSkate stream, which has been the mainstay of figure skating in Canada for more than four decades. The STARSkate program offers opportunities for skaters to develop basic skating skills in four different areas: Skating Skills, Free Skating, Dance, and Artistic/ Interpretative, which are then grouped according to the following levels:
PRIMARY LEVEL TESTS
- Skating Skills: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
- Free Skating: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
- Dance: Preliminary, Junior Bronze
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL TESTS
- Skating Skills: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver
- Free Skating: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver
- Dance: Senior Bronze, Junior Silver, Dance Variation, Bronze Rhythm Dance
- Artistic: Bronze, Adult
SENIOR LEVEL TESTS
- Skating Skills: Senior Silver, Gold
- Free Skating: Senior Silver, Gold
- Dance: Senior Silver, Gold, Diamond; Silver and Gold Interpretive Dance
- Artistic: Silver, Gold
* Please note that each Dance level requires passing at least three individual dances.
In most cases, a single evaluator assesses the tests, using a scale of "Needs Improvement, Satisfactory, Good and Excellent". Each test has its own specifications as to what must be performed at a Satisfactory or better level in order to pass the test. Tests are held periodically throughout the year in our Club. Test days are held during each session. Every Club in our Section holds test days, so if a skater is unable to test during our scheduled test days they may travel elsewhere, with Club or section approval, to be tested (at their own expense). Testing outside the Nepean Skating club events must be arranged through the club test chair person. When a skater is taking a test they are required to be at the rink one hour before the test unless they are the first test, then they need to be at the rink ? minutes before the test. This allows for the skater not miss their test if the testing schedule is running ahead of schedule. The test program also offers skaters the opportunity to compete. The most familiar of these competitions is the Interclub, in which only skaters from the 7 Clubs in our Region compete. Throughout the year, there are also many competitions hosted by different clubs in our section. An important competition is the Eastern Ontario Winter Invitational. The Eastern Ontario Sectional Invitational Championship (EOSIC) held in February each year, is another high profile event for STARSkate stream skaters. Skaters that place in the top standings at EOSIC can compete in the All-Ontario Championships (now called Ontario Interclub) usually held in March of each year.