Kate Charbonneau has been coaching since 2012 and is currently teaching in the Minneapolis, MN area (FSC of Bloomington). She has also been teaching learn-to-skate classes since 2008. Kate is the 2009 Canadian Junior Ladies Champion, a Junior Grand Prix silver medalist (Croatia Cup in 2009), and a World Junior competitor. She also competed in the 2010 Canadian Olympic trials where she placed 7th.
In 2014-2015 Kate was the head coach of Tyringe Konstokning Klub in Sweden where she had students medal at international events and compete at the Swedish National Championships. She has also been the head and assistant coach to international competitors from Slovakia, multiple Minnesota state champions, and multiple USFS Gold Medalists in Freestyle, Dance, and Moves in the Field.
Most recent videos at the top…
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USFS Junior Skating Skills – Part 2, Forward and Backward Inside Rockers (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau continues a series of videos on the USFS Junior Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. In Part 1 she covered the Forward and Backward Outside Rockers pattern. In this video she discusses the Forward and Backward Inside Rockers and she begins by noting the importance of a consistent lobe size […] Continue reading →
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USFS Junior Skating Skills – Part 1, Forward and Backward Outside Rockers (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau begins a series of videos on the USFS Junior Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. In this video she introduces the Junior test and demonstrates and explains the first pattern, the Forward and Backward Outside Rockers. Kates uses a rocker pivot exercise to develop the necessary skill for the first […] Continue reading →
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USFS Preliminary Skating Skills – Part 3, Forward Power Three Turns (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau continues a presentation on the USFS Preliminary Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. In Part 1 she discussed the Forward and Backward Crossovers and in Part 2 she covered the Consecutive Outside and Inside Spirals. In this video she teaches the Forward Power Three Turns. Kate begins by describing […] Continue reading →
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USFS Preliminary Skating Skills – Part 2, Consecutive Outside and Inside Spirals (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau continues a presentation on the USFS Preliminary Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. In Part 1 she discussed the Forward and Backward Crossovers and in this video she covers the Consecutive Outside and Inside Spirals. She begins by noting she uses a two foot glide on each transition from […] Continue reading →
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USFS Preliminary Skating Skills – Part 1, Forward and Backward Crossovers (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau begins a presentation on the USFS Preliminary Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. She takes a moment to name all the patterns in the test, and she notes that the demonstrating skaters are well above this level. For the first pattern, the forward and backward crossovers on a figure […] Continue reading →
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Low Level Choreography Lesson – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau continues a choreography session with a young skater to build a new program. In Part 1 Kate got to know the skater a bit and challenged the skater with some new movements. In this video, Kate essentially lays out a majority of the skater’s program utilizing the skills from Part […] Continue reading →
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Low Level Choreography Lesson – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau begins a choreography session with a young skater to build a new program. A very large percentage of coaches work with skaters at this level, so many will benefit from seeing how Kate approaches this task. This entire first part is really just Kate getting to know this skater and […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Warmup – Part 4: Extras (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a series of videos explaining and demonstrating how skaters can and should warm up off the ice for an upcoming on-ice session. (See part 1 here and see part 2 here and see part 3 here.) In this video Kate shares some extra warm-up options for skaters with more time, and […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Warmup – Part 3: Jumps (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a series of videos explaining and demonstrating how skaters can and should warm up off the ice for an upcoming on-ice session. (See part 1 here and see part 2 here.) This video focuses off-ice jumps as the latter part of the warm-up. Kate begins by explaining her overall approach, with […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Warmup – Part 2: Range of Motion Exercises (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a series of videos explaining and demonstrating how skaters can and should warm up off the ice for an upcoming on-ice session. (See part 1 here.) This video focuses on range of motion exercises from head to toe as part of the off-ice warm up process. The first exercise is forward […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Warmup – Part 1: 5 minute low level (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau begins a series of videos explaining and demonstrating how skaters can and should warm up off the ice for an upcoming on-ice session. She begins by acknowledging that some skaters have as little as 4-5 minutes to warm up, while others may have 20-30 minutes. The remainder of this video is part […] Continue reading →
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Learning to Hydroplane (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau explains and demonstrates how to learn to hydroplane. Sometimes a hydroplane is referred to as a hydroblade, and this skill is a “fun show trick” that isn’t particularly difficult but requires practice. Kate begins by explaining how she performs a hydroblade on a left back inside edge with the body down and […] Continue reading →
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All About Eulers – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues her presentation on the Euler or “half loop.” In Part 1 she introduced the topic and offered a number of exercises she uses to teach the skill. She begins Part 2 by emphasizing the need to check the positions and be patient when adding speed. She says, “As they add speed […] Continue reading →
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All About Eulers – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau begins a presentation on the Euler. Historically, the Euler has been called a “half loop” in the USA and elsewhere, but with it’s renewed significance as a result of it’s value in jump combinations in competitive IJS events, the formal name Euler is being used more and more. An Euler is an […] Continue reading →
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A-Frame Spin or Upright Forward Spin – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues her presentation and demonstration of how to perform and teach an A-frame or upright forward spin (see Part 1 here). She begins this video by explaining that the A-frame spin “feels very different than the three basic positions – upright, sit, and camel.” It requires a high level of core strength […] Continue reading →
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A-Frame Spin or Upright Forward Spin – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau explains how she teaches the A-frame or upright forward spin. She begins by noting that she uses a wide variety of entrances, and the primary goal is to choose an entrance where the skater will hold the entry edge and be patient in order to generate rotational energy and center the spin. […] Continue reading →
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How to Curtsy – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues her discussion and demonstration of the technique and unwritten rules of performing a cursy or bow at the end of a skating performance. In Part 1 Kate discussed the basic differences for high and low level competitors, including performance details. In this video, Kate begins by describing and demonstrating the general […] Continue reading →
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How to Curtsy – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau begins a short series on the technique and unwritten rules of performing a cursy or bow at the end of a skating performance. A curtsy or bow at the end of a performance is a gesture of respect and appreciation for both the judges and the audience response. As a way of […] Continue reading →
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Catch Foot Spiral Tips (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues her lesson on spirals (see tips on basic spirals in Part 1 and Part 2). She begins this video by offering insights about a Biellmann spiral. For this spiral Kate recommends pulling up strongly with the upper body (middle and head) and letting the arms move independently. It’s helpful to get […] Continue reading →
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Basic Spiral Lesson – Continued (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues her lesson on basic spirals (see Part 1 here). The focus of this part of the lesson is on the pattern of the Consecutive Outside and Inside Spirals on the Preliminary USFS Moves in the Field test, although the concept of full lobes applies to spiral development universally. Probably the most […] Continue reading →
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Basic Spiral Lesson (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau works with a skater on basic spirals. This lesson is in the context of the Pre-Preliminary and Preliminary USFS Moves in the Field tests, although the tips for control and presentation apply to all spirals. For the Pre-Pre pattern, Kate recommends doing the non-dominant foot first, so the skater ends strong by […] Continue reading →
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Using a Balloon for Jump Training – Part 4 (Lorie Charbonneau)
International coach Lorie Charbonneau finishes her presentation on using a simple air-filled balloon as a jump training aid. In Part 1 she introduced the concept and had her skaters demonstrate single jumps as well as axel and double salchow with the balloons. In Part 2 the skaters demonstrated the other double jumps, as well as […] Continue reading →
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Improving Beginner Skills – Part 5 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a general lesson with a beginner level skater, using program elements as a roadmap for the lesson. Part 1 focused on footwork and spins, and Part 2 focused on some jumps. Part 3 focused on spin entries, back power three turns, and the flip jump and Part 4 was about the […] Continue reading →
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Improving Beginner Skills – Part 4 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a general lesson with a beginner level skater, using program elements as a roadmap for the lesson. Part 1 focused on footwork and spins, and Part 2 focused on some jumps. Part 3 focused on spin entries, back power three turns, and the flip jump and in this video the focus […] Continue reading →
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Improving Beginner Skills – Part 3 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a general lesson with a beginner level skater, using program elements as a roadmap for the lesson. Part 1 focused on footwork and spins, and Part 2 focused on some jumps. In this video, Kate has the skater run through the program to identify weak points to address with further coaching. […] Continue reading →
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Improving Beginner Skills – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a general lesson with a beginner level skater, using program elements as a roadmap for the lesson. Part 1 focused on footwork and spins, while this video focuses on jumps. After observing a waltz jump and a half loop, Kate decides to focus on a half loop salchow combination. On just […] Continue reading →
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Improving Beginner Skills – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau begins a general lesson with a beginner level skater, using program elements as a roadmap for the lesson. Kate has the skater do some of the footwork and skating skills from her program, and not surprisingly Kate asks for more ankle bend. Notice the description of pressing into the tongue of the […] Continue reading →
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Improving Novice Moves – Part 5 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a lesson for a skater working on her US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field test. The skater already knows the patterns, so this is an opportunity for Kate to help the skater improve them and get them ready to test. In Part 1, Kate worked on the Inside Three […] Continue reading →
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Improving Novice Moves – Part 4 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a lesson for a skater working on her US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field test. The skater already knows the patterns, so this is an opportunity for Kate to help the skater improve them and get them ready to test. In Part 1, Kate worked on the Inside Three […] Continue reading →
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Improving Novice Moves – Part 3 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a lesson for a skater working on her US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field test. The skater already knows the patterns, so this is an opportunity for Kate to help the skater improve them and get them ready to test. In Part 1, Kate worked on the Inside Three […] Continue reading →
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Improving Novice Moves – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau continues a lesson for a skater working on her US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field test. The skater already knows the patterns, so this is an opportunity for Kate to help the skater improve them and get them ready to test. In the previous video, Kate worked on the Inside […] Continue reading →
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Improving Novice Moves – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau gives a lesson to a skater working on her US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field test. The skater already knows the patterns, so this is an opportunity for Kate to help the skater improve them and get them ready to test. They begin with the Inside Three-Turns/Rocker Choctaws which is […] Continue reading →
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Building an Edge Class Sequence – Twizzle Example (Kate Charbonneau)
Coach Kate Charbonneau explains and demonstrates the process she uses for creating original edge classes and step sequences. The process begins with finding out which turns and elements her skaters can do, and trying to include at least one of each turn in an exercise in the edge class. Kate demonstrates the process with an […] Continue reading →
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Simulated Post-Jump/Spin Speed Drill (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau teaches an exercise that simulates the situation where a skater lands a jump or finishes a spin and then needs to gain speed quickly and control that speed with another element or skill. To start this exercise, the skater pushes back into a landing position at the center near the […] Continue reading →
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Circle of Crossovers With Extensions (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau teaches a crossover exercise that is performed on a single circle. It is a sequence consisting of 3 forward crossovers followed by an inside mohawk with an overhead arm extension and then 3 backward crossovers followed by a step forward with another extension. Kate wants deep knee bend and a […] Continue reading →
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The Snowman Crossover Exercise (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau teaches a crossover exercise she calls “The Snowman” where skaters perform crossovers in 3 large circles down the ice. The skaters go around the circle one and half times each for the base and body of the snowman and just a little less than a full circle for the head. […] Continue reading →
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All About Forward Crossovers (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau offers insights and exercises for forward crossover development. She starts with how she teaches beginners. The classic “step over” non-gliding sideways walk is very helpful for beginner skaters to learn balance and the basic weight transfer of a crossover. The focus is simply on balance and lifting the knee to […] Continue reading →
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Challenging On-Ice Strength and Balance Exercises (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau demonstrates a fun and challenging exercise for improving strength and balance. The exercise consists of a continuous glide with a spiral, a shoot the duck, and an upright victory position (y-spin). Kate says, “This is for some leg strength, and really some grit out of your skaters.” She recommends this […] Continue reading →
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On-Ice Flexibility Exercises (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau demonstrates a series of on-ice flexibility exercises. These are all front catch foot positions with different hand grabs. These have obvious application to the I-spin (also called the needle) but also enhance overall flexibility for spirals and spin positions in general. The exercises are same side toe grab, same side […] Continue reading →
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20 Minute Warm-Up Edge Class – Part 7 (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau finishes a multi-part series where she shows a complete 20 minute warm-up edge class. Kate has her skaters start slow and then she picks up the pace, both with the skating and the music for the class. This warm-up is done to music. In Part 1 she shared initial exercises […] Continue reading →
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20 Minute Warm-Up Edge Class – Part 6 (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau continues a multi-part series where she shows a complete 20 minute warm-up edge class. Kate has her skaters start slow and then she picks up the pace, both with the skating and the music for the class. This warm-up is done to music. In Part 1 she shared initial exercises […] Continue reading →
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20 Minute Warm-Up Edge Class – Part 5 (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau continues a multi-part series where she shows a complete 20 minute warm-up edge class. Kate has her skaters start slow and then she picks up the pace, both with the skating and the music for the class. This warm-up is done to music. In Part 1 she shared initial exercises […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Camel Spins (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the final of three videos from Kate Charbonneau on her personal experience with off-ice spinning during the worldwide pandemic. In the first video in this series Kate focused on some general concepts an then on upright off-ice spins. In the second video, Kate shared details of off-ice sit spin development. (Kate is using […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Sit Spins (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the second of three videos from Kate Charbonneau on her personal experience with off-ice spinning during the worldwide pandemic. In the first video in this series Kate focuses on some general concepts an then on upright off-ice spins. (Kate is using a Spinergy Spinboard.) In this video, she shares details of off-ice sit […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Upright Spins (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the first of three videos from Kate Charbonneau on her personal experience with off-ice spinning during the worldwide pandemic. Kate is using a Spinergy Spinboard and she emphasizes proper foot placement on the spinboard as critical to success, although she notes that other spinners may also work just as well with equivalent practice […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Musical Movement for Skaters – Part 3 (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the second in a series of videos by coach Kate Charbonneau that are intended to provide a way for skaters to develop or maintain musicality and musical movements during this period without ice. The focus for this series is musical movement, but unlike dance lessons, very little emphasis is on actual steps. The […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Musical Movement for Skaters – Part 2 (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the second in a series of videos by coach Kate Charbonneau that are intended to provide a way for skaters to develop or maintain musicality and musical movements during this period without ice. The focus for this series is musical movement, but unlike dance lessons, very little emphasis is on actual steps. The […] Continue reading →
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Off-Ice Musical Movement for Skaters – Part 1 (Kate Charbonneau)
This is the first in a series of videos by coach Kate Charbonneau that are intended to provide a way for skaters to develop or maintain musicality and musical movements during this period without ice. The focus for this series is musical movement, but unlike dance lessons, very little emphasis is on actual steps. This […] Continue reading →
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Simple Off-Ice Warmup and Range of Motion Exercises (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau provides an off-ice warmup intended to move different parts of the body through a range of motion. The idea is to get the skater ready for more intense off-ice exercises, or it can be used as a warm-up prior to an on-ice session as well. Kate has selected music that […] Continue reading →
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20 Minute Warm-Up Edge Class – Part 4 (Kate Charbonneau)
Figure skating coach Kate Charbonneau continues a multi-part series where she shows a complete 20 minute warm-up edge class. Kate has her skaters start slow and then she picks up the pace, both with the skating and the music for the class. This warm-up is done to music. In Part 1 she shared initial exercises […] Continue reading →