SEMI-CLOSED DANCE POSITION

At first glance, semi-closed does not look greatly different from closed position. The hips are still together, and the feet and toplines are apart. The woman is positioned a bit to the man's right side. The arms are up, presenting a smooth oval around the man's shoulders, across the lead arms, around the woman's shoulders, and back across the trail arms. Especially notice the position of the woman's arm in the second photo. Her fingers are lightly placed on her man's right shoulder, but she is supporting herself and is not pulling or hanging on her partner. The man's right arm is still around the woman, and his fingers reach about the center of her back. Lead hands are joined. But in semi, the couple has opened a little down line. The man has used his hips to turn the woman just a little right face, and he has used a little right side stretch to "open her head," to cause her to look to her right. When the man steps forward with his lead, the woman will step forward, too. When he steps thruough with his trail foot, she will do likewise. Both look down line and step down line together.
Both heads are open. Lead hips (man's left and woman's right) are apart. Lead feet are free.
His right hand is just touching her spine. His fingers and thumb are tightly together and inclined downward.
Right side stretch is what opens her head.
Remember to smile.
Don't open up this far. This is almost a half-open position.
Look for some of the features I've described above, in these photos.
Photos © A. Curths; A. Gorczycki; D. Drury; J. Lee; P. Sosabowski; R. Szabatin; V. Kanonikov; from Dancesport UK photo gallery.