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Welcome to

BlackSkate FigureSkating
in Toronto

We are a non-profit and only figure skating club in Toronto for black girls. We run programs suitable for everyone, from beginners to advanced level figure skaters.

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About this program

BlackSkate Toronto helps girls transform their lives and fosters the growth in confidence. BlackSkate also provides for social development which is paramount to the mental health and well-being in youth and provides leadership and academic components to maximize each member’s potential on and off the ice .

We are the only organization in Toronto for minority girls of color that combines the power of education with access to the artistic discipline of figure skating to build champions in life.

Professional Coaches

All coaches are certified by BlackSkates and together bring years of experience in competitive skating, professional/show skating, and coaching.

Taje Jones

Professional Figure Skating Coach

BlackSkated ensures all our coaches have the required training and certifications to deliver exceptional training to our members.

Taje Jones is one of the finest coaches that we have.
We are lucky to have him as a coach for this particular program.

Private coaching is available for BlackSkates only.*
We do not offer private coaching outside of our programming schedule.

To connect with a private coach, please register for a program first, then speak with the Skating Director during your first session. A typical starting point would be a 15-minute lesson once or twice a week.

OUR VISION

We aim to bring the benefits of our model program to even more children by creating chapters in other communities in Canada.

To provide a community of instructors and staff that are dedicated to the growth of every member that will lead to a healthy, disciplined, and prospering society.

To create a community of young black youth that are represented in the sports of figure skating, while providing a foundation for youth minority groups to achieve their dreams.

To provide a social network for youth, while engaging each member during training toward self-development, and to provide a team framework for ongoing support during their individual journeys.

How it began

The saying goes that “When the students are ready, the teacher appears.” This statement is all too true for the genesis of Figure Skating in!

Founded in 2021 as a response to a direct need in the Toronto community, Positive Initiatives LLP  established a program to create a safe space for young girls to achieve academic excellence and physical well-being through the lens of figure skating.

Founder and CEO, Markus Emanuel heard this call to action while undertaking other grass roots initiatives in the community, he ventured out to create a BlakeSkate, in partnership with Positive Initiatives, a Toronto community organization. Together they began the journey to transform young lives.

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The first figure skating discipline in Canada geared toward the promotion and development of black-figure skaters.

– DEBBIE HARRISON –

An organization of Positive Initiatives®

Check out our other projects:

Black Men Do Bike

RaceCar Self Build