Grades by country · New Zealand

KiwiSkate

Not checked yet. The level lists on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.

KiwiSkate is the New Zealand Ice Figure Skating Association’s learn-to-skate programme, a ladder of badges. Tiny Tots 1 and 2 are for skaters aged six and under; everyone else starts at Beginner and works up through Elementary, Basic, Novice 1 and 2 to Advanced. Figure, stroking, free skating and dance badges run beside the main ladder.

Each badge lists skills for assessment, which are what is tested, and teaching progression ideas, which are taught and not tested. The lists below are the skills for assessment, in the 2025 rules’ order and words. The six dance badges come last: each pairs a few dance steps, counted to music, with one or two pattern dances.

Tiny Tots 1

Six years of age and under.

• Proper way to fall and get up Falling and getting up
• Dip standing still Dip
• Forward two-foot glide Two-foot glide
• Skate width of rink No page in this guide yet.

Tiny Tots 2

Six years of age and under.

• Scooter pushes Scooter pushes
• Back wiggle Backward wiggles
• Forward sculling Swizzle
• Dip whilst moving Dip

Beginner

• Rhythm skating: one count per glide No page in this guide yet.
• Forward two foot glide on a curve Two-foot glide
• Forward skating and glide in sit position, two feet Dip
• Snow plough stops Snowplough stop
• Backward marching Marching
• Forward double sculling Swizzle

Elementary

• "T" pushes Forward stroking
• Forward double sculling to backward double sculling Swizzle, Backward swizzle
• Backward skating, using alternating 'C' sculling Backward stroking
• Forward one foot glides on a curve One-foot glide
• Half snow plough stops, both feet Snowplough stop
• Forward pumping around circle Half-swizzle pumps

Basic

• Two-foot turns on curve, forward to backward Two-foot turn
• Forward crossovers on a circle Left forward outside crossover
• Backwards half snow plough, both feet Backward snowplough stop
• Backward skating using alternating "C" pushes with lift Backward stroking
• Forward inside edges Left forward inside edge, Right forward inside edge

Novice 1

• Forward outside edges Left forward outside edge, Right forward outside edge
• Forward outside three turns Left forward outside three turn
• Back inside mohawks Left backward inside mohawk
• Backward one-foot glides around a circle Backward one-foot glide
• BO to FO mohawks Left backward outside mohawk

Novice 2

• Forward inside mohawk Left forward inside mohawk
• Forward spiral on a curve Spiral
• Forward inside three turns Left forward inside three turn
• Forward and backward crossovers, two counts per glide Left forward outside crossover, Left backward outside crossover
• Forward two foot parallel side stop, left and right Hockey stop
• Back outside edges Left backward outside edge, Right backward outside edge

Advanced

• Backward inside edges Left backward inside edge, Right backward inside edge
• Backward outside three turns Left backward outside three turn
• Backward inside three turns Left backward inside three turn
• "T" stops T-stop
• Forward and backward crossovers in a figure eight Left forward outside crossover, Left backward outside crossover
• Circle pattern 1: two crossovers into a forward outside three turn Left forward outside crossover, Left forward outside three turn
• Circle pattern 2: two crossovers, step into a forward inside three turn Left forward outside crossover, Left forward inside three turn
• Circle pattern 3: two crossovers into a forward inside mohawk Left forward outside crossover, Left forward inside mohawk

Figure badges 1 to 4

• Figure 1: forward and backward, outside and inside edges, and BO to FI three turns Left forward outside edge, Left forward inside edge, Left backward outside edge, Left backward inside edge, Left backward outside three turn
• Figure 2: BI to FO three turns, forward outside and inside eights Left backward inside three turn, Left forward outside edge, Left forward inside edge
• Figure 3: waltz eight Left forward outside three turn, Left backward outside edge
• Figure 4: changes of curve, forward outside to inside and back, and the backward outside eight Left forward outside change of edge, Left forward inside change of edge, Left backward outside edge

Stroking badge

• Circle 1: forward crossovers, FO three turn, backward crossovers, BO mohawk Left forward outside crossover, Left forward outside three turn, Left backward outside crossover, Left backward outside mohawk
• Circle 2: forward crossovers, FI mohawk, backward crossovers, BI mohawk Left forward outside crossover, Left forward inside mohawk, Left backward outside crossover, Left backward inside mohawk
• Forward perimeter stroking Forward stroking, Left forward outside crossover

Free skating 1 to 3

Then the Freestyle badge: a programme of a minute and a half to music.

• Free skating 1: bunny hop, waltz jump, toe loop, backward pivot, back spin, spiral sequence, one-foot spin, step sequence Waltz jump, Toe loop, Pivot, Spiral, Upright spin, Bunny hop, Step sequence, Back spin
• Free skating 2: half flip, Salchow, loop, one-foot spin, inside Ina Bauer or spread eagle, waltz jump and toe loop combination, step sequence Salchow, Loop, Upright spin, Waltz jump, Toe loop, Step sequence, Ina Bauer, Spread eagle, Half flip
• Free skating 3: stag jump, back spin, camel or sit spin, Salchow and loop combination, half Lutz, flip, step sequence Camel spin, Sit spin, Salchow, Loop, Flip, Step sequence, Back spin, Half Lutz The stag jump has no page: none of the documents behind this guide describes it.

Dance 1

• Forward outside swing rolls, count of six Swing roll
• Forward progressives, Dutch Waltz timing Dutch Waltz, Progressive The Dutch Waltz page shows the timing.
• Dutch Waltz Dutch Waltz
• Forward chassés, count of four Left forward outside chassé
• Forward slide chassés, count of four Left forward outside slip chassé The slide chassé is this guide's slip chassé: British Ice Skating's definitions name it slip or slide chassé.

Dance 2

• Forward progressives, Canasta timing Canasta Tango, Progressive
• Forward cross rolls Left forward outside cross roll
• Forward progressives and chassés, one count per step Left forward outside chassé, Progressive
• Swing change of edge Left forward outside change of edge
• Forward swing rolls, count of four Swing roll
• Canasta Tango Canasta Tango
• Rhythm Blues Rhythm Blues

Dance 3

• Backward swing rolls, count of four Swing roll
• Backward chassés, count of four Left backward outside chassé
• RFI to LBI mohawk, open, closed or swing, count of two plus two Right forward inside mohawk
• LFO, RFI, LFO, RFI progressives, mohawk RFI to LBI, then RBO, repeated on a circle Right forward inside mohawk, Progressive
• Swing Dance Swing Dance

Dance 4

• Forward cross rolls, count of two Left forward outside cross roll
• Cross step, count of two Crossed step in front, Left forward outside crossed step behind KiwiSkate does not say in front or behind, and the Fiesta Tango has both.
• RFO to RFI change of edge, count of four plus two Right forward outside change of edge
• RFI to LBI open mohawk, count of one plus one Right forward inside mohawk
• Fiesta Tango Fiesta Tango

Dance 5

• Backward progressives, count of four Progressive
• LFO to RBO open mohawk, count of one plus one Left forward outside mohawk
• Forward outside to back inside closed three turn, count of one plus one Left forward outside three turn, Right forward outside three turn
• RFO roll with a knee bend, count of four Right forward outside edge
• Riverside Rhumba No page in this guide yet.

Dance 6

• RFI to LBI mohawk, count of three plus three Right forward inside mohawk
• RFO to LBI closed three turn, then LBO, RBI, LBO progressive, repeated on a clockwise circle Right forward outside three turn, Progressive
• Willow Waltz Willow Waltz
• Ten-Fox Ten-Fox

Source: NZIFSA Rules and Regulations, section 700 (3 January 2025)