SETUP
Skill: Student should be able to complete a single turn in both directions on easy terrain. Can be done in a wedge or parallel and drill will work in both.
Terrain: for beginners find an easy sloping area that a student could make at least 3 turns across slope before having to change direction.
Snow: firm packed snow is best. Ice can work but decrease slope. Soft snow is very difficult for student to ROTATE the skis.
Safety: as the student will be traversing the width of the run, the big concern is traffic for above. Quite runs are safer and using a second instructor above the student as a blocker can be effect measures.
HOW TO TEACH
Thinker (say): This drill is going to help you to start each turn with your skis and legs. Start across fall line in an athletic stance, flatten skis while turning legs slightly downhill until you start to move. Next turn legs up the hill until you come to a stop. Repeat until you cover the entire length of run.
Feeler (say): you are doing it correct when turning down the hill, you feel pressure on your downhill ski baby toe and uphill ski big toe. When turning back uphill you will feel pressure on your downhill ski big toe and uphill ski little toe.
Watcher (show): perform the demonstration or show below video.
Doers (coach): while the student is trying this drill be sure to watch if the rotation effort is being delivered from the legs (femur turning in hip socket). You will notice towards the end of each turn that the skis are turned more than the pelvis. If you see that that skis and hips are turned more than the shoulders, then the turning effort is coming from the mid-section and not the legs. If you see that skis, pelvis and shoulders are all aligned, then rotation is with not present or being led by the shoulders. If you see the shoulders turned more than the skis and pelvis…. it was a shoulder turn.
Skis appear to turned more than pelvis and should. This is a good result.