Most people who want to learn ice skating face the same obstacle: coaching fees are expensive, ice time is limited, and it is hard to know where to start on your own. Ice-Skating: Basic Skills by Tonya Crowley on Udemy offers a structured solution — a compact, affordable course that walks complete beginners through the official USFSA Basic 1, 2 and 3 skill levels, one technique at a time. In this review we break down exactly what is inside, who it is best suited for, and whether it is worth your time and money.
Title: Ice-Skating: Basic Skills
Instructor: Tonya Crowley
Rating: ⭐ 4.5 out of 5 (31 ratings)
Students enrolled: 269
Total length: 39 minutes on-demand video · 23 lectures · 5 sections
Downloadable resources: 16
Price: €49.99 (individual) or included with Udemy subscription from €12.00/month
Last updated: March 2019
Covers: USFSA Basic 1, 2 and 3 levels
Requirements: Access to an ice arena, figure skates (rental skates are fine)
For: All ages, no experience needed
💡 Price note: Udemy courses are frequently on sale. The price shown (€49.99) was valid at the time of writing — click the link to see the current price.
Tonya Crowley is an experienced ice skating coach who has structured this course around the official USFSA (US Figure Skating Association) Basic Skills programme. Each section of the course corresponds to a real certification level, which means you are not just picking up random tips — you are following the same progression used by skating schools and coaches across the United States. The teaching style is clear and demonstration-led, with helpful tips and tricks woven into each skill video.
The course is divided into 5 sections covering 23 lectures and 38 minutes of video content. Here is what you get in each section:
The course opens with the fundamentals of USFSA Basic 1. After a general introduction and a "First things First" orientation lecture, you move into the core skills: dips, forward swizzles, backward wiggles, the snowplow stop, and the rocking horse. The section closes with a "Test your knowledge" quiz — a smart touch that encourages active recall rather than passive watching. Six of the eight lectures are available as free previews, so you can get a thorough sense of the teaching style before spending a cent.
Basic 2 introduces more dynamic skills: forward one-foot glides, backward swizzles, two-foot turns, and alternating half swizzle pumps. The section ends with a "Putting it all together — Quiz and Routine" lecture, which combines everything learned so far into a short practice routine. This is an excellent way to consolidate skills before moving to the next level.
Basic 3 is where skating starts to feel genuinely elegant. This section covers forward stroking, half swizzle pumps on a circle, backward glides, forward slalom, two-foot spins, and the beloved two-foot spin. Again the section wraps with a combined quiz and routine lecture — giving you a concrete benchmark to practise against before calling Basic 3 complete.
A single 4:57 lecture presenting a full final routine that combines skills from all three Basic levels. This is the course's showpiece — a demonstration of everything you should be able to do by the end. Watching it before you start gives you a clear goal; watching it again at the end shows you how far you have come.
A short trailer for Tonya Crowley's follow-up course, pointing you toward the next stage of your skating journey once you have completed Basic 1 through 3. Brief but useful as a signpost.
Aligned with official USFSA levels: Following the Basic 1, 2 and 3 structure means you are learning skills that are universally recognised by ice skating schools. If you later decide to take in-person lessons or join a club, you will know exactly where you stand.
Quiz and routine at the end of each level: Rather than just watching videos, you are tested on each section and given a practice routine to drill on the ice. This active approach leads to much better retention than passive video consumption.
16 downloadable resources: A significant number of supplementary materials — likely skill checklists, practice guides and reference sheets — that you can bring to the rink with you.
Rental skates are fine: The course explicitly states that rental skates are acceptable, which removes the barrier of having to invest in equipment before trying the sport
All ages welcome: No experience needed, no age restriction — this is genuinely beginner-friendly for children and adults alike.
Six free preview lectures: You can watch more than half of Section 1 for free before purchasing, which is unusually generous and gives you a real feel for the content.
Short total runtime: At 39 minutes of video, this is one of the most compact courses on Udemy. Each skill gets clear instruction but not extended repetition. Beginners who need more time with each technique may find themselves pausing and rewinding frequently.
Last updated in 2019: The course has not been updated in several years. The fundamental techniques of ice skating do not change, so this is unlikely to be a practical problem — but it is worth noting.
US-centric certification: The USFSA framework is primarily relevant to US-based skaters. International students will still benefit from the skill progression, but the level names and certification structure may not directly translate to their local skating body.
This course is ideal for complete beginners of all ages who want a structured, affordable introduction to ice skating before committing to expensive in-person coaching. It is particularly well suited to parents wanting to prepare their children for skating lessons, adults returning to the ice after years away, or anyone who wants to understand the USFSA Basic Skills framework. If you already have experience beyond Basic 3 level, you will likely find this course too introductory.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 / 5.0
Ice-Skating: Basic Skills earns its 4.5-star rating. For a course covering three full USFSA certification levels in under 40 minutes, the content is impressively well structured — each skill is demonstrated clearly, tested with a quiz, and reinforced with a practice routine. The 16 downloadable resources and six free preview lectures add real value. The main caveat is the short runtime: this is a starting point and a framework, not an exhaustive coaching programme. But as a foundation for someone brand new to the ice, it delivers exactly what it promises.
👉 Enrol in Ice-Skating: Basic Skills on Udemy and take your first steps onto the ice with confidence.
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💡 Price note: Udemy courses are frequently on sale. The price shown (€49.99) was valid at the time of writing — click the link to see the current price.
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