American vs. International

What are the differences between the two?

American:
American style ballroom is danced primarily in the USA and is not as standardized as International. There are two categories of American:
Smooth: includes dances such as the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz
Rhythm:  includes dances such as the Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Bolero, Mambo, Samba

International:
International style ballroom dancing is seen in competitions and is danced all over the world! Like American, there are two categories of International:
Standard: Includes the Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, and Quick Step
Latin: Includes the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive

Differences between American Smooth & International Standard:

International Standard focuses more on the technical aspect of dancing in a closed position. This allows couples who are dancing together to develop technical movements and the characteristics of each dance.
American Smooth is more interpretive and dancers can dance in either a closed or open position.

Differences between American Rhythm & International Latin:

International Latin is a very structured and technical. This style is very popular and is danced in competitions throughout the world!
American Rhythm is predominately danced in competitions throughout the US. Again this is a very interpretive dance that allows dancers to creatively express themselves throughout the dance.

Images retrieved from AtomicBallroom.com