Cha Cha
Rumba
Bolero
Mambo
East Coast Swing
Salsa
Merengue
So whats the difference between International Style and American Style??
International versus American style ballroom
The basic issue
Contemporary ballroom dancing comes in two major styles, American style and International style. American style was developed by the major U.S. studio chains, Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire, and by the independent U.S. studios. International style was developed by the British, particularly through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and the International Dance Teachers' Association (IDTA). While most of the world uses International style exclusively, both styles are popular in North America. Int'l Style is usually considered more of a competitive style of dancing, while American Style is generally considered more of a social style of dancing.
American Smooth versus International Standard
Although American style smooth and international style standard (formerly `modern') are taught very differently, the styles are very similar. The most obvious difference is that Int'l standard includes quickstep, which is not part of American smooth. The other major difference is that Int'l style only permits figures in closed position (have to maintain body contact), while American style allows open positions and even solo actions. Beyond that, the main differences between the two styles are in the technical emphasis of Int'l Style compared to the emphasis on steps or patterns in American Style.
American Rhythm versus International Latin (or Latin American)
Compared to smooth/standard, rhythm/Latin has relatively little overlap. While each category has cha cha, rumba and a swing dance, Int'l has samba and paso doble, while American has bolero -- another, slower rumba dance -- and mambo. The rumba dances are dissimilar, even in their basic counts, with steps on counts 1, 2, 4 for American and 2, 3, 4 for Int'l. Most importantly though, the hip motion differs: in American style, one steps onto a bent leg; in Int'l style, onto a straight leg.
We DO NOT offer Country, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, or Polka lessons!
We specialize in Ballroom and Latin Dancing. Since we pride ourselves on "Quality over Business", we feel that there are other pro's in the Omaha area who could better serve your needs in these areas.
