Many leaders find it psychologically very difficult to walk their thigh into their follower's leg to get them to cross. And then, when they "get it", they find it very cool and fun.
This lead does not require the leaders to contort themselves or to slam into their follower's leg. It's worth repeating what we say in the video: you position your step so that your thigh hits her leg and she crosses because of the transfer of your weight to your right leg.
If you're finding this difficult to coordinate, grab a partner and have her get into the position of the last step before the cross with her left leg still out in front (because she's stepped back right). And then you can practice where to step with your right foot so that your thigh makes contact in exactly the right spot as you step to your right leg. Once you've done that a few times, you'll find that the entire combination will flow much more smoothly.
From website: (Alex Krebs) Has been studying the bandoneon since May 2001, directed the tango band "Conjunto Berretin." (with 2 CD's recorded) from 2003-2008, and currently is arranging/directing a tango sextet and arranging/directing an Orquesta Tipica for the Portland Tango Festivals in Feb. and Oct.
00:25
So this is a push cross:
I'm pushing with my thigh to get her to cross.
00:29
And for the leader, I don't want you to do
anything weird with your body.
00:33
So you'll see guys and they'll
kick the ladies with their legs...
00:36
..as if that's what's going
to cause her to cross.
00:38
And I want it to be clear,
that it's not the kick of the leg,...
00:41
..it's the shift of the weight.
00:43
Well, and the other side of that is,
is that it's hard for men to...
00:47
..do this, to walk straight
into a woman's leg like that.
00:49
So if you watch my right leg, I'm not bending my knee.
I'm just shifting my weight over it.
00:54
And that's what causes her to cross.
00:57
Breaking it down though.
I'm getting into the nitty gritty before...
00:59
..I've gotten into the microscopic.
01:02
Side, he changes. But as I change, it's not...
01:04
.. left, side, I change and take a small step over...
01:07
..or, as I go side, I rotate her - actually this is what I really do.
01:11
I'll pivot to my left, so she steps bigger than me.
01:14
That way, when I step forward, I'm on her right side.
01:17
From this angle.
01:21
You'll see she out steps me and that happens
because I rotate to my left.
01:25
But then I step a little bit back into his path.
01:28
Because I'm rotating a little to my right.
01:30
D: And then a little to my right...
N: And then I step a lot back into his path.
01:34
And that's it. That let's him do the push cross.
01:37
Is there a way to show that in that foot camera?
01:39
What is it you want me to show?
01:41
The way, the action of the cross.
01:43
No, it's cutting too low.
They won't see any of the thigh.
01:46
Okay. You're right. I knew that.
01:49
It was obvious, right.
01:50
So new angle or old new angle.
01:56
I turn to my left, then the slow turn to my right
to get her to into my path.
01:59
Here, as I shift, that pushes her thigh over into a cross.
I let her shift over the ball of her left foot.
02:06
And then when I cross, there is this little bitty pivot...
02:09
..to straighten me out in front of him again.
02:11
So when I end up crossing,
I'm a little bit facing 'that' way.
02:15
And there's a little bit of pivot.
Watch that.
02:20
Let's see. Let's do it from this angle.
02:28
Now I'm here and then there's this little pivot
to straighten me in front of him before we step out.
