All levels!  From novice to advanced.  If you are unsure whether your skills are sufficient, please speak to a skate leader OR one of the Skate Patrol marshals (in red shirts)

Skates will have a leader who will endeavor not to leave anyone behind. If you feel that you cannot complete a skate, let the leader or sweep know, and ask if you need directions to a metro or bus station.

Novice:
If you have new skates in an unopened box, you will need a bit of practice before coming on a city skate. We encourage skaters who would like to work on these skills to attend our free clinic in Rock Creek Park. 

Beginner Street Skating:

Street Skating requires more skill than trail or parking lot skating. While balance and steering techniques are essentially the same, skating in city streets and in potentially dangerous environments requires a higher competency. Like driving, you must constantly search for hazards and obstacles and be prepared to react by turning, avoiding, and stopping.
Required Skills:

- Can stop quickly on even ground

- Can navigate around pot holes, and over speed bumps

- Can slow or stop on gentle declines
- Skate continuously, without stopping to rest for one mile

Intermediate Street Skating:

Group skates take place on the streets and trails in and around DC, which can be quite hilly.
Required Skills: (in addition to the ones noted above)
- feel comfortable skating with a large group in traffic during the day and night.
- are able to stop and turn on any surface or terrain - including moderate hills.
- are willing to follow traffic laws

- understand hand signals such as such as skating quickly through an intersection where traffic is being held.

- skate in a confined space without spilling beer

- Skate continuously, without stopping to rest for two miles

Advanced Skating:

Even hot-shot speed skaters should take note that urban skating in DC requires certain technical skills:
Required Skills: (in addition to the ones noted above)

- can balance, steer, and brake on large downhills

- stop quickly, even from a high velocity

- can hop on or off of a curb while skating

- climb a staircase while on skates

- skate continuously, without stopping to rest for four miles