The 180-degree change of direction on the spot while climbing. You need it from around 30 degrees of slope, where a straight track simply gets too steep to walk.
The kick turn is the technical crux of any climb: an almost complete change of direction on two long, slippery planks, often on a slope where slipping has unpleasant consequences. The classic mistake is the order of operations — the uphill ski lifts before your weight is genuinely on the downhill ski, and away you slide. The right sequence: shift your weight fully first, then swing the uphill ski through 180 degrees like a windscreen wiper, set it down, transfer your weight, bring the second ski round. Your uphill pole goes in just below the binding and gives you something to brace against. What often gets missed: kick turns tend to sit exactly where the slope is already steep enough for avalanches. Practise them on flat, safe terrain first — judging the slope itself is course material, not glossary material.