A Mordida.
Simple case of lead a backward ocho or two. On her backward ocho to the closed side stop her and catch her foot with your right. Sandwich her foot by placing your left foot on the other side of her foot then step back with the right leading her to step forward with her right across your left foot.
Its a nice step, more importantly it is an opportunity to show changes of pace and timing. From the moment she is stopped to when she is invited to step forward there are numerous variations in how he can time the placing of his steps. Also it introduces to her the notion of the pause as something other than the result of an error.
I’d expect that the tricky bit (apart from stopping her) would be giving her enough room to take that last step so it feels natural and not blocked. I encounter that problem with quite experienced leaders. Did it come up at all?
There was an initial “so where do you expect me to put my foot” reaction. I had a bigger problem with followers stepping away from the leader thus putting themselves out of balance.
I did have to be told, the first time, that if I encountered a foot on the way to where I was going, I was supposed to step over it.
I think the stepping away problem might be just what I had in mind. Quite often that shoulder seems to be coming towards you and completely blocking the step, so that by trying to go _somewhere_ and still maintain a constant distance you in effect step away from him to his right, bringing not just yourself off balance but him as well (especially if he does not allow his right hand to move freely across your back).
When I step back with the right that step isn’t directly back but curved slightly so that the right foot ends up behind the left. This creates more space for her and takes the shoulder out of the way.
The issue of him opening his embrace is a great reason to get people into close embrace as soon as possible. When this step is done in close embrace it is blatantly obvious that he has to open his embrace slightly as he invites her through. It’s just not that obvious in an open embrace.
It’s not always that obvious to him, even in close, but I know what you mean. Otherwise I’m being asked to climb awkwardly over an obstacle into a space that doesn’t exist. It’s scary and most people will take evasive action.
The curved path for his foot is an absolutely crucial part of the explanation, I think.
The curved step got lost in translation.