Thanks for all the feedback on this matter. I will be attending a social dance this Thursday evening, and I will certainly make a point to observe the other dancers and to dance both styles. I have a feeling it will work itself out one way or another.

What a question!i first started dancing the american style at arthur murray and been tought that a basic rumba step is a box that starts on the side and on the 1 not 2!i'm sure that a rumba starts on the side and never forward(the box), and of course on the 2nd beat.if they tought you to do the box forward maybe that's because they are simplifiying things for you to learn to dance socially and be able to lead any person "non dancers".

"What a question!i first started dancing the american style at arthur murray and been tought that a basic rumba step is a box that starts on the side and on the 1 not 2!i'm sure that a rumba starts on the side and never forward(the box), and of course on the 2nd beat.if they tought you to do the box forward maybe that's because they are simplifiying things for you to learn to dance socially and be able to lead any person "non dancers"."

There are THREE different rumbas, and at least THREE ways to start each of them.

Which makes at least NINE possibities.

It works out though, because none of them are really supposed to be about what you are doing, but instead about sharing what you are doing with another person.

Once the correct count is firmly esablished it will be found to be uncomfortable to dance on anything other than the off beat.That is stepping Forward for a Checked Walk on the count of two with the music. For those reading for possibly the first time this is the International Style of Rumba. Where there are three steps and four beats, The fourth beat is not a step. It is a settling of the hip, just like you might make a hip for a child to sit on whilst waiting for a bus. That is refered to as a Latin Hip. Which is only done in Latin dances and is also known as a Latin Motion. There is a lot of bad teaching out there, so be choosy and learn properly.

"Once the correct count is firmly esablished it will be found to be uncomfortable to dance on anything other than the off beat.That is stepping Forward for a Checked Walk on the count of two with the music. For those reading for possibly the first time this is the International Style of Rumba."

Yes, that is right for international rumba.

But it is DEAD WRONG for american rhumba, which is no less a proper dance for using timings other than that used by international.

Practicing one timing alone can cause a bit of lock-in, which helps explain why some american style dancers who always dance one of the two timings may be unwilling to follow someone dancing the other.

It is true, that Arthur Murray had always danced the American Style "BOX" rumba with a forward step being the first step which was on a slow count. Fred's did the opposite and danced the first step as a step to the side on the count Quick. Independants have done this both ways, depending on the influence they may have had. The DIVIDA syllabus which is used alot anymore, dances the American Rumba like AM with the first step being a forward step on the Slow count. Myself personally, I like the Fred's way of dancing this with a side step first on the quick count. Whoever above who thought you were being taught Intl Style Rumba was wrong. If your teacher mentioned that Am did it this way, and fred's did it this way......there is no mistake that they are talking about the American Style "Box" Rumba. I do agree with whoever above said that your teacher is just trying to sell you that their way is right. I teach at a studio that uses the DIVIDA syllabus, and therefore for uniformity I will teach it with a forward step on slow as the first step. I grew up dancing Int'l Style, so I guess I really dont care. But I will teach it however the studio I work for wants it to be taught.

There is a simpler answer to the original question: it doesn't matter whether two members of a couple have learned a dance slightly differently, once you step out onto the dance floor the man leads and the lady follows. That's it!

You would think that the lady would follow! At a social dance a few weeks ago I was asked to dance rumba with a lady I kinda knew. I asked Int. or American. She says American. I start with SQQ and she says no no no no--QQS.
We fumbled through the dance with her QQS. I think she was a teacher at one time at Fred Astaire. Don't think I'll be dancing Rumba again with her anytime soon.

That is a good point, but don't get yourself too confused about this -either way is correct. If you continue the box step you still repeat and end up back at a "quick quick" for a side together and a Slow for your forward and back. you are just starting at a different point.

That is right. It all comes to the same thing in the end. Enjoy the dance above all.