Ice Skating School Levels

These are the skill levels established by the Galleria Ice Skating Center learn to Skate Program. Graduates of our "Intro Classes" will be placed in a “Intro-2 class and advance according to their ability. It is very common to repeat a level just to be sure that the skating skills are somewhat mastered before moving on to the next level.

Tot Intro: Pre-school beginner who has never skated before. Learn how to fall, proper way to get up, dip standing still, marching in standing position, marching while moving, beginning 2 ft. glide, two foot jump in place, forward swizzle standing still, dips while moving, single swizzle, beginning back wiggles.

Tot Intro-2: Pre-school beginner that has completed the Tot Intro level. Learn how to push and glide, beginner moving forward swizzle, 1 foot glides and snowplow stops.

Junior Intro: Beginner 6-12 year olds, off ice fall down and get up, marching, 2 ft. glides and dips, t-position and push right and left, backward swizzle, 2 foot snowplow stop. One ft. snow plow stop, back wiggles, beginner two foot spin, 1 ft. glide.

Junior Intro-2: 1ft. glides for 5 seconds, snowplow stops from marching, beginner 2 ft. spin, forward swizzles, back wiggles, t-position, back swizzles, scooter pushes, zig-zags, forward 1/2 swizzles.

Pre Alpha : Skated in Junior Intro-2 for a full semester and passed by coach, skate into strong 2 ft. glide, skate into a dip, skate into a snowplow stop, 1 ft. glide for 4-6 seconds, zig-zags, 6 forward swizzles, back wiggles into back swizzles, beginner spiral at wall, 2 foot turns.

Alpha: Skated in Pre Alpha for full semester and passed by coach, 6 strong forward swizzles, 6 backwards swizzles, 1 ft. glides for 6-8 seconds, scooter pushes into a 1 ft. glide, forward crosses from a stand still right and left ft, beginner spiral, 1 ft. snowplow stop, beginner crossovers both directions, back 1/2 swizzles, forward pivot, zig-zag into a spin, forward stroking, 2 foot turns.

Beta: Skated in Alpha for a full semester and passed by coach, smooth forward stroking, forward crossovers with no toe pushes, back stroking, T-stops, back swizzles in a circle into a back crossover, beginner back crossovers, beginner spiral, beginner lunge, 2 foot spin with push back, bunny hop, 2 foot turns.

Gamma: Skated in Beta for a full semester and passed by coach, strong back crossovers and back stroking, right and left t-stops, Intro. 7 step Mohawk sequence, beginner lunge, 2 foot spin with exit, 2 foot turns checking of body while gliding on a circle, beginner spirals, beginner outside 3 turns & Mohawks, beginner waltz jump.

Delta: Skated in Gamma 2 for full semester and passed by coach, right and left outside and inside 3 turns, all stops from previous levels, beginner outside edges and inside edges, back crossovers into a 2 ft. spin and beginner waltz jump, bunny hops, intro to a 1/2 flip, lunge, spirals, beginner inside and outside pivot.

Freestyle 1: Skated in Delta 2 for full semester and passed by coach, strong forward outside and inside edges, intro. back outside and inside edges on a circle, back crossovers into a 2 foot spin w/ 6 revolutions, forward inside and outside pivots, spirals, flip, back crossovers into a waltz jump, attitude, Chinese spiral, 1 foot spin.

Freestyle 2: Skated in Freestyle 1 for full semester and passed by coach, strong back outside and inside edges, spirals on edges, 1/2 lutz, waltz jump tap-toe waltz jump combination, dance step, ballet jump, back crossovers into a 1 ft. spin, footwork steps and sequences, attitude spin, scratch spin., intro. Toe loop and salchow.

Freestyle 3: Skated in Freestyle 2 for full semester and passed by coach, back outside and inside 3 turns, back pivots into a back spin, dance step, intro of change ft spin, spread eagle, toe loop, salchow, jump combinations, back spiral.

Freestyle 4 & up: Skated in Freestyle 1-3 and passed all levels by coach, Need to have all the following to skate in this level: back outside and inside 3 turns, sit spin, dance step, back spirals and forward spiral sequences on different ft. and edges, loop jump, flip jump, footwork, intro. split jumps, jump combinations, intro. sit to back sit spin, loop, double 3 turns.

If you are uncertain what level your skater should be placed in, please ask for an evaluation. Our Skating Director, Iantha Borzilleri, would be happy to evaluate your skater. Please call ahead for reservations for evaluations. Galleria Ice Skating Center: 972-392-3361.