The handbrake turn is the foundation for all tail-out action, and getting the car sideways. If you can learn how to do a handbrake turn properly, then it will be the basis for pretty much most of your thrashing skill. If not, then you will suck. Better learn. The basic instruction for doing a handbrake turn is as follows:
Drive your car in a straight line at a speed of about 35-40 km/h. Place your left hand on the handbrake. When you feel ready, turn the steering wheel sharply to the right with your right hand. When you feel yourself rock sideways in the chair, press the button on the handbrake in with your thumb and pull on it fairly hard, it won't need to be too hard because you're on a slick surface. Do not take your left hand off the handbrake or release the button and do not take your right hand off the steering wheel. If done properly, the whole car will spin around between 150 and 180 degrees. Remember to put the clutch in just before you stop if you're in a manual, you don't have to in a front wheel drive but it's a good habit to get into. If you don't do it and you're in a rear wheel drive..then you'll stall when you pull the handbrake on and look like a toss. It's best to be in second gear the whole time. The car will turn as far as it can and then slide to a stop. Congratulations, your first handbrake turn. Normally now is a good time to relax and let your heart-rate slow down, it's a scary thing to slide out for the first time.
Now try it again, this time a little faster. Try to get the timing exactly right, if you put it on too early, you won't get all your force into the corner, and if you put it on too late, you'll just turn and then it will slide in the wrong direction, rather than just sliding around and rotating. This time it should feel a lot better. Try it several times, in each direction, left and right until you're satisfied that you can do it properly. It's best to stay with just doing these handbrake turns for at least a few weeks until you're confident that you can handle them. You'll be spinning properly in no time. As soon as you've mastered that, try taking off in the same motion. Execute the turn and keep the power down in 2nd gear, in an auto, keep it locked in 2 on the selector. Try to take off immediately following the handbrake turn (herein referred to as a "handbrakie") See if you can do it in first gear without spinning too much. Most people find first gear too low to start from after a handbrakie and just take off in 2nd with the accellerator flat to the floor. It should still spin, but much less and it will soon become useable accelleration.