Learn to skate, swizzle, slalom, and (perhaps most importantly) stop on skates. Our instructors will help you develop confidence as you navigate the ice. Private and group lessons are available for all Student Members, Campus Affiliate Members, Community Members, and Non-Members.
Questions? Reach out to us at lessons@recwell.wisc.edu.
SUB-ZERO ICE CENTER
1976 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 262 - 8244
PRIVATE LESSONS

Private Skate Lessons
If interested in personalized, one-on-one instruction, please register through the link below. Signing up for one session includes three 30-minute lessons. Pricing includes both ice and skate rental costs.
Instructor availability is currently limited due to upcoming finals and winter break. There may be a delay in scheduling your lesson and we cannot guarantee completion of your package prior to the new year. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
UW-Madison Students: $75
Members: $90
Non-Members: $100
SKATE CLINICS

Skate Skills Clinic
Skate clinics are free, single day classes for adults that focus on a specific skating skill, technique, or trick. An instructor will teach unique skills that can be used in programs for competitions, or just for fun.
GROUP LESSONS

Level 1
At this level you’ll be introduced to the basics of skating. Whether your goal is to be a figure skater, hockey player, or you’d just like to get back into skating, this level teaches you all the essential techniques. You’ll learn, with the help of an instructor, to skate forward, stop, and skate backwards along with other basic skills.
UW-Madison Students: $60
Members: $75
Non-Members: $90
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Designed for:
- Skaters with little or no experience
Prerequisites:
- No experience required
Class Components:
- Forward marching
- Falling and recovering
- Rocking horses
- Swizzles
- Gliding
- Dips
- Stopping
- Half-Swizzles down a line

Level 2
In this level, you’ll expand your knowledge of what you learned in Level 1, further developing upon your forward-skating skills and learning new skills that require different techniques. Moving forward to backwards, one foot glides, and turns in place are elements that you’ll learn at this level.
UW-Madison Students: $60
Members: $75
Non-Members: $90
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Designed for:
- Skaters who have skated before and they know that they can complete the different skills in Level 1
Prerequisites:
- All skills from level 1
Class Components:
- One-foot glides forward
- Slaloms
- Two-foot turns on a line in place
- Moving forwards to backwards and backwards to forwards
- Backwards swizzles
- Backwards skating
- Forward stroking

Level 3
The last of the Beginner levels, this level builds on previous ones and provides the last few basic elements before you branch out into figure skating or hockey. Skills like forward crossovers, backward one-foot glides and moving two-foot turns are included. After the skater completes this level, they can either move on to the hockey program, figure skating program or chose to work with one of our coaches in private lessons.
UW-Madison Students: $60
Members: $75
Non-Members: $90
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Designed for:
- Skaters who have skated before and they know that they can complete the different skills in Level 2
Prerequisites:
- All skills from level 2
Class Components:
- Backwards half-swizzle pumps on a circle
- Forward chasses on a circle (both ways)
- Forward crossovers
- Two-foot turns moving
- Forward crossovers
- Backward one foot glides (both feet)
- Forward and backward outside edges on a circle (both feet)
- Beginning backwards crossovers
- Forward to backwards two foot turns