I started learning to dribble probably 2 weeks into my skating journey. I kept my toe stops in until after I had about 50 days of skating under my belt. I started with some tutorials that emphasized lunging, but I had the darndest time transitioning from that to dribbling in place.
Probably the key drill that helped in leveling up was toe manuals. TKrollerskates gave a tremendous tip that toe manuals would unlock so many moves, and she was absolutely right. I’ve drilled toe manuals in every skate practice since, and my comfort on toes has built steadily over time. I’ve gone from barely able to switch on toes 10x to be able to do for an extended period of time.
The other key drill was practice sliding the toe forward, while sliding the other foot back. Doing this with control with weight evenly distributed takes more strength than I realized, and it took weeks for me to get this remotely in shape.
Currently (as of August 2022, Day 75), I’m working on making sure my weight is evenly distributed as my feet switch places. I notice that I tend to lean forward after pivoting and catch myself. This throws me off. When I dribble well, I feel almost levitated to the point where I can move my hips. If my weight is too low, then I just have less room to add any flare if that makes sense.
Tutorials I’ve been referencing: