This is a highly-opinionated post.
This is not going to a political discourse on foreign or domestic policy.
Nah, people, I'm talking dancing.
Here in the U. S. of A, there are two styles of competitive ballroom dancing: American and International. They are similar, but not the same. Sometimes, there are dances that are named the same across the styles. Sometimes those dances have different techniques, and sometimes more obviously, they have different syllabi.
...
I know. Even when I've tried make sense of the two styles, it's slightly confusing.
Let me try to spell it out for you using the seven dances that the styles have in common...
WALTZ
While a lot of beginner Waltz looks pretty similar in both American and International, there's a big difference between the two. In American style, you can [and should] break from dance frame.
This is dance frame:
[The dude's right hand is on the lady's shoulder blade while her arm rests atop his arm. He holds her right hand with his left hand.]
When you dance International style Waltz, you get in dance frame and you stay there.
FOR. EV. ER.
In International, there are things like Whisks and Promanade Chassés ending in OPP [outside partner position, not this]
and Reverse Pivots WHICH I SHOULD NEVER SEE IN AMERICAN WALTZ.*
If you're doing American Waltz, I expect to see a twirl of some kind for the lady. I expect to see TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT FOR DANCE FRAME.
I'm kidding.
Sort of.
Somewhere between complete restraint while maintaining dance frame and utter abandonment thereof, there's a perfect balance of open (two hand hold, shadow position, etc.) and closed (dance frame, dance frame, dance frame). In other words, 50% of the time, one should NOT be in dance frame. [This goes for all the American style Smooth dances.]
TANGO
American Tango consists of patterns that are made up of 8 counts (or patterns divisible by 8). Since many instructors teach American Tango with the not-quite-timing-specific "T...A...N G O" (who are these terrible teachers?!), many students forget that:
T...A...N G O = Slow Slow Quick Quick Slow = 12 34 5 6 78
Reagrdless of your memory, if your American Tango pattern ends on a "6", you're probably forgetting something.
International Tango, while it should "phrase out" at several points over one minute or so of dancing, does not have the same neat little packages. There are many steps that are 2, 4, 6, or 8 beats.
Many of the steps between the two styles are quite similar, they are not the same. While you may do the International basic of Two Walks to a Progressive Link in American, you must follow it up with something like Argentine Walks (which will give you a 16 count amalgamation).
You may not do a Closed Promenade in American Tango.
A) It's 2 beats shy of 8.
B) IT'S NOT A STEP IN AMERICAN TANGO.
This is why I have a problem with the Twist Turn. Yes, it's on both syllabi (or at least most of the American versions, of which there are a feeeew), but it's such a quintessentially International step, I get suspicious of its use in American. It's like a gateway drug to doing your Standard routine in American.
WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
FOXTROT
Foxtrot is the easiest dance to call foul on since there are no steps in common between the two styles.
If you do a heel turn in American Foxtrot, you're
A) working way too hard
B) disqualified out of lack of respect for Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.
VIENNESE WALTZ
Like unleaded Waltz, there are many steps in common (well, four... exactly four) between the A and the I, but the dances are different.
Again, like Waltz, I love basics in closed dance frame for American, but AGAIN WITH THE TWIRLS. AND THE ARMS. AND THE "THOUSAND YEARS".
[Come on, you know you love dancing to this.]
CHA CHA
The Rhythm/Latin dances are a little bit trickier to differentiate. There's a vaguely-worded, and not entirely consistent, divergence in technique that make the two styles not the same...sometimes. The biggest difference tends to happen in the step lists, and even many of those are almost identical.
But let's be clear: there is not a Fan on the American step list. Like, not ever.
RUMBA
Okay, Rumba is the Foxtrot of the South American-inspired dances. There's not really that much in common between American and International Rumba besides the name "rumba". The timing is different, the tempo is different, the technique is more pronounced, the basic step doesn't even have the same shape.
Let me reiterate: THE TECHNIQUE IS MORE PRONOUNCED. Generally speaking, it's nice to see a Cuban, bent-knee action when moving from foot to foot in American. NOT the International style, straight leg weight transfer as a default. Thank you.
SWING/JIVE
Even those these two dances don't share the same name, they're related. Both involve Rock Steps (or Links) and two Triple Steps (or Chassés) as the basic figure. They share many of the same steps on their syllabi. In fact, nearly all of them.
The big difference is the technique, which happens to be a reflection of the musical tempo. While both dances use a swing rhythm, or Rock beat, for their music, the tempos are on two ends of the spectrum. Jive is fast, and it's basic movement in mostly in place, with an energetic up and down bounce. Swing, on other hand, is a bit blues-ier, using its extra time to allow movement across the floor (relatively) while getting more of a "dig" action (or "scoop") on the bottom of the bounce and a more exaggerated "swing" of the hips.
While it's admirable to try to produce the look of Jive (the kicks! the hops! the flicks!) to a Swing, your energy is being wasted in the wrong direction. So stop it.
When In Doubt
If your head is spinning after all this, do the easy thing: check your syllabus (make sure you're looking at the correct style and under the organization for whom you are competing). Check YouTube. Check Google.
"Crossbody Lead, International Cha Cha, Bronze syllabus"
No results? DON'T DO IT.
Feeling trapped by your style and level? Consult a professional. Many professionals (who dance foundation levels for years while teaching many different students) have found interesting, challenging, and invigilation-proof ways to put together basic figures [even if it's just to entertain themselves].
One year ago: Measuring the Immeasurables, in which I do the impossible.
Three years ago: Request for Bread, in which I make, what for it, bread.
* In Bronze level for sure, if not even Silver level. Once you get to Gold or Open level, you may ignore [at least some] of the rules.
