Uphill Christies><BR><BR>

Now it's time to put the traverse together with the sideslip. Pick a fairly steep slope.
Gather a bit of speed coming across the hill in good traverse position - uphill ski, knee and shoulder
ahead. With an up-and-forward motion, release your edges to start your skis sideslipping. As your
weight returns to your skis, gradually stop the sideslipping by resetting your edges in a smooth,
catlike down-motion. At the end of the turn you may find yourself in an uphill traverse. That's why
this turn is called an uphill christie. Practice this.<BR><BR><BR>

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Now you are ready to combine a snowplow turn with an uphill christie. This should be easy by now. Start down the hill in snowplow position - going easy on the breaks. With an up and forward motion, transfer your weight to the ski that is pointed in the direction you want to turn. In the next split second bring the other (inside) ski alongside and slightly advanced. Follow with a smooth sinking motion, as your flexed knees and your hips angle in toward the hill and your upper body tips away from the hill. At the end of the snowplow christie, rise to the new traverse.

Begin Stem Christie

Here's where you pull it all together. In this, the beginning stem christie, you wait to bring your skis together until after you have crossed the fall line in the arc of your turn. Traversing the slope, stem the uphill ski. As you come to the fall line, transfer your weight to the stemmed (outside) ski with a sinking motion of your body. Now rise up and forward, as you bring your inside ski parallel. Follow with a smooth down motion and increased angulation...

What's angulation? It's the angled position of your entire body over your skis, and it's a lot like making a turn when you're riding a bike. Your forward-flexed knees and hips are pushed toward the hill in the skidding arc of the turn, while your upper body is tipped away from the hill. Angulation controls balance while edging your skis. Practice the beginning stem christie a lot - both to the left and to the right. Each time try to close the skis a little sooner than before - but smoothly.