Sunday, January 4, 2009

Emma, Bumps, Steeps, Angels Flight and Skiing on Glass

Today, I had an amazing day teaching Emma how to make more turn shape, and learning ONCE AGAIN how important it is to understand what your client thinks good skiing is, what their mental image of it is. When Emma and I were in the lodge, we did some dry land drills that were SO clarifying to both of us, that we went back out on the hill as fast as we could, speaking the same language, now, and she had a major breakthrough in her skiing, which has been really really challenging for her to do. I was blown away.

For more video of Emma skiing, click here.

In the afternoon, I had the awesome luck to land in Dave Casto's bump clinic, and got the swift and succinct and accurate, direct feedback that I love so much: (it makes you learn so much faster when they give it to you straight)

Doing Medium Radius turns in the bumps requires a buttery touch and a softness that I am not willing to give. Working with Dave totally clarified that for me... once again, I am hanging on to an over edged ski at the bottom of my turn, unwilling to let go of the last turn so I can be ready to move for the new turn. But un-trusting of my platform, I pause, trying to either loose speed or gain composure and a sense of "ready" to move again.

Working with Dave (Javeline Side Slips down the spine of super-steep bumps, anyone?), I realized that this is the same conversation I was having with Emma this morning. She was hanging on to her old turn, or trying to get it over with too quick, and here I am, hanging on, or skiing it aggressively in an attempt to gain control. So I thought about Mike Hickey's slackline again, and I thought about Dave's analogy the other day about skiing on a 1/4 inch thick piece of glass without breaking it. Something is happening, I can feel something important changing in my skiing!

Then, this afternoon, we skied the chair line, which I found out is called Angel's Flight, and for the first time, I felt like I was able to turn down it well, top to bottom, part in due to familiarity, and a large part due to the specific, focused, patient work that Dave did with my glitch today. Oh, did I mention there were like 11 people in our group, and we only had an hour? Yeah. Dave Casto rocks.

No comments: