"It is worth discussing that step four of the Spin Turn. If we watch John Wood you will see that before he takes step four he is backing diagnal to the wall. If we watch Richard Gleaves he is backing the LOD. Both step straight. If you turned John to back LOD the step is still straight to the way he is backing and not across the body. The difference between the two is the alignment over the first three steps. Or rather where the second step is placed. On the tapes and DVD's I have watched. The most favoured appears to be to step across the LOD and taking that fouth step backing diagnal to the wall."

Might guess is that if you look at where the lady is going - probably right down the LOD - then it becomes clear which dancer had the skill to move with his partner, and which had to resort to a detour out to the side to let her past. If the lady actually moved to diagonal to the wall on step four, then I'd agree it was proper for the man to go there, though I'd not be willing to call the preceding figure a natural turn!