I was with them 100% until they started discussing first turns. The only thing I would have added to that point would have been a caution against using foot rotation in the subtalar joints to create the wedge.
When they began demonstrating teaching first turns, I felt it all went a little sideways.
o The discussion repeatedly emphasizes "simultaneous steering of both skis" while maintaining a wedge. However, I don't think that telling first timers to "steer" will have any meaning to them. Furthermore, the discussion neither tells us how to convey this idea of "steering" in terms students will understand, nor tells us what the creators of the video segment mean by it. "Steering" is a widely abused and often ill-defined term. Not everyone uses it the same way.
o If "steering" in this context is to include at least a component of deliberately creating rotation of the skis independent of the upper body, then I have to say this can't work to INITIATE a wedge turn from a standing or extremely slow start, such as is being demonstrated here--absent a flapping of wings to create the necessary leverage. If the skier is already moving a bit, then rotation of the upper and lower body, opposite each other, can initiate turning forces--but we don't see either of these skiers doing that!
o I consider introducing a bit of upper-lower body separation as the turn develops--and this is possible even in wedge turns--to be a very good idea at a very early stage of teaching. But again, we see absolutely zero upper-lower body separation from Ray (the one in grey) or the other skier (in orange).
o This brings up a peeve of mine. I don't understand why so many instructors--not just in this video--think they should be stiff mannequins when demonstrating wedge turns to beginners.
o What they may mean by "steering" is maintaining the relationship of the two feet and the two skis to one another, which is certainly crucial.
o It's very easy to start a turn from a wedge, because the new outside ski is pre-edged and pre-pivoted into the direction of the turn. I think there must be about 50 ways of starting a turn from a straight run in a wedge.
o The video makes ONE mention of flattening the new inside ski--in the demonstration of the boot-assisted turn. Then in looking closely at all the subsequent demonstrations of wedge turns, I'm not able to see a single instance of inside ski flattening or of any kind of release move.
o So how ARE these skiers initiating wedge turns? I see a lot of micro-stemming (particularly by Ray), maybe some increase of new outside ski edge angle, and probably a lot of deliberate weight shift to the new outside ski.
What I would do instead--teach release of the new inside ski through a slight flexion and flattening. It takes very little to START a wedge turn, which will then build on itself if the student just lets it happen. Then encourage some modest upper-lower body separation during the shaping of the turn.
. I’m planning on checking out the center and TBL after it opens on Dec. 4
