I am a ballroomdancer for over 25 years. In my opinion there was only one single style with Alex Moore and Walter Laird as the writers of the respective 'dance-bibles'. Shortly I discovered this site and I was surprised to learn about 'American Style' ballroomdancing. Also, the (excelently executed)video-clips looked very surprising to me.
Can anyone please tell me more about the 'American Style'?
PS If someone has questions about dancing in Western Europe do not hesitate to ask. But do not laugh at my text-mistakes, knowing that English is for me a strange language.

The easiest way to describe it would be to think of Classic Showdance style, when people who usually dance Standard break apart and do other things. That's sort of like American Style, except American Style goes so much further than that, incorporating elements of jazz, ballet, and the kind of dancing you'd see in old Fred Astaire & Ginger Rodgers musicals.

I began dancing 6 years ago in a small town in upstate New York. The teacher was excellent, but I knew nothing about American vs International style, and my wife and I learned American.

Now we dance at a large ballroom near Philadelphia and many of the dancers dance International style; one couple has competed at Blackpool. I find myself wishing I could do some of the things the International dancers do, and perhaps I'll learn to do so, but I'm enjoying myself doing American style.

Some dances are very different in the two styles, I think: tango and FoxTrot. Others are very much the same: American Bolero and Intl Rhumba? And there is only one Quickstep.

Jerry

You can do the things the international dancers do, as American Style ultimately adopts all of the international style's possibilites once it moves past strict step lists. Virtually everyone cross trains with international coaches.

Belgium Boy. I have a question . Are the dance clubs owned by the Amatuers or are are they owned by professionals in your country. I believe in Germany to be a competitor you must belong to a club. An ordinary dance studio can not teach a competitor. There is a hands off agreement between the two. In Ausralia the studios are owned by the professionals who also run the competitions. With this system I can never see the Government supplying a building or going out of their way to help as is done in some countries. The only help is the same , since dancing became a sport, as any other type of sport. soccer netball and so forth. Our teachers very rarly own their own premises. They hire school halls or other types of buildings, most do not have a lease and can be tipped out at a moments notice, which has happend on many occasions. Anyway I would be intested to know what system you have in Belgium. Best wishes Don.