Learn to Skate USA: How the Six Levels Work

The levels give beginners a clear path and help them see what to work on next. Here’s how the Learn to Skate USA structure moves from first steps to stronger skating foundations.

What does Learn to Skate USA teach?

Learn to Skate USA’s Basic Skills curriculum teaches skaters over the age of six the foundations of moving safely and confidently on ice. Across six progressive levels, skaters practise forward and backward skating, stops, edges and turns, with each level building on skills learned earlier.

Early lessons introduce practical movements such as marching, gliding, swizzles and snowplow stops. These help skaters learn to move, change direction and slow down before they take on more demanding skills.

As the Basic Skills levels progress, exercises develop balance, coordination and control alongside skating technique. The resulting foundation can support later participation in figure skating, ice hockey or speed skating.

How do the six Basic Skills levels progress?

Learn to Skate USA’s six Basic Skills levels progress from first movements and simple stops to more controlled skating, with each level building on skills introduced earlier. The curriculum covers forward and backward skating, edges, turns and stops throughout the progression; skaters advance at their own pace as they develop the required foundations.

Basic 1–2: first movement and stopping

Basic 1 and 2 introduce marching and gliding, then add swizzles and snowplow stops. These movements give skaters practice starting, travelling across the ice and slowing down, rather than treating skating as a single step.

• Marching and gliding: practise moving forward and maintaining balance.
• Swizzles and snowplow stops: introduce controlled movement and a way to stop.

Basic 3–6: control and developing skills

Basic 3–6 extend the earlier foundation instead of replacing it, developing more control as skaters work on forward and backward skating, edges, turns and stops. The sequence is cumulative: later skills depend on being able to use the movements learned in the earlier levels.

Progress is based on building those skills, not on moving through the levels at a fixed pace. A skater can take the time needed to strengthen earlier movements before advancing, while continuing to develop balance, coordination and control on the ice.

What broader skating network is behind Learn to Skate USA?

Learn to Skate USA sits within a broad U.S. skating network led by U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating has nearly 640 member and collegiate clubs and over 1,000 registered Learn to Skate USA® and Aspire programs, representing over 249,000 members.

Learn to Skate USA provides a starting point for figure skating, ice hockey and speed skating. Its six levels focus on transferable basics—such as balance, forward and backward skating, stops, edges and turns—before skaters move on to the advanced techniques of a particular sport.

How is progress assessed?

Learn to Skate USA progress is assessed by whether a skater can demonstrate the movements being taught, rather than by time spent in a level. An instructor can look for control in specific skills such as a glide, stop, edge or turn as the skater works through the progressive curriculum.

What to look for in feedback

Learn to Skate USA’s levels build foundational skills including forward and backward skating, stops, edges and turns. A level label is most useful when read alongside the particular movements the skater can perform, since it shows more than the label alone.

Parents can ask their local class provider how instructors share progress and what they look for before recommending the next level. Because advancement follows demonstrated ability, rather than a fixed calendar, skaters may be ready to move on at different times.

When might the Basic Skills curriculum not be enough?

Learn to Skate USA’s Basic Skills curriculum may not be enough when a skater needs instruction tailored to a specific sport: it builds an introductory skating foundation, but it does not replace focused coaching in figure skating, hockey or speed skating. Its emphasis is on core skills such as skating forward and backward, stopping, using edges and turning.

Choose classes around the skater’s goal

• Hockey technique: Hockey Skills 1–4 and Power are a separate hockey-focused option. The classes cover hockey fundamentals, agility and power skating, with proper hockey skating technique as their primary focus.
• Figure skating or speed skating: Basic Skills can provide a starting point, but skaters pursuing either sport should look for instruction specific to that discipline.
• Local class fit: If hockey technique is the main goal, check whether a nearby Learn to Skate USA provider offers hockey-focused classes.

Class formats and progression details can differ between providers, so families should ask how a local class is structured and how skaters are assessed before enrolling. This helps them choose a program that matches the skater’s goal rather than assuming every provider offers the same classes or advancement process.

How can a beginner or parent choose a class?

Choose a Learn to Skate USA class by confirming that it uses the Basic Skills curriculum and asking which level matches the skater’s current abilities. Basic Skills builds through six progressive levels, with skills including forward and backward skating, stops, edges and turns; a class placement should reflect what the skater can do on the ice now.

• For broad skating foundations: Ask about Basic Skills and how the instructor checks fundamentals such as gliding, stopping, edges and turns before recommending a level.
• For a hockey focus: Ask whether the provider offers Hockey Skills 1–4 and Power, an option centered on hockey skating technique and agility.

Check age and local arrangements

Basic Skills is designed for skaters over the age of 6, so use that as a fit check rather than assuming every local class handles age and placement the same way. Contact the provider to confirm its arrangements for the skater, including which class and level it recommends.

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways

• Basic Skills is designed for skaters over the age of 6.
• Basic 1–2 introduce marching, gliding, swizzles and snowplow stops.
• The six levels build toward control of forward and backward skating, stops, edges and turns.
• Hockey Skills 1–4 and Power offer a separate hockey-focused pathway.