Peter-Kosmas,

where are you located? You spend a lot of money on american style bronze but english is not your first language...
Judging by the name... Greece?
At least I am not sure which other european countries actually do american style instead of international.

If my assumptions are correct, you might want to share where you are located and I might be able to help you find a good studio.

o.k !!! mail me !
peter_kosmas@yahoo.com
pkosmas@datablue.gr
i found a good one now with international style !!!!
in petroupolis !!!!
i want a good one ! i want to do only international !!!!! i am disapointed with american style !

Peter Kosmas. American Smooth and the International Style, which includes Latin American, are worlds apart.If you dance in the International style you should be able to dance in any studio in any country in the world. If you or anybody else thinks that you can hop off a plane, in for instance Japan, and dance American Smooth they are very much mistaken.
The same applies to Australin New Vogue.
It is danced in of course Australia and New Zealand, in which it is a competition dance. It is a very interesting style to dance. The man does as much shaping and use of the body as the lady does. As somebody else has pointed out. Try that in the Standard style would have a coach tearing their hair out.

leading is not the problem !! i will give u an example with what happens !
i learn kick breaks in mambo !!! o.k?
i go somewhere ! they say that there are no kick breaks in mambo, i go somewhere else they say yes there are but we do not use hands ! most studios i see have difrent footwork
!i was very angry cause i spend a lot of money to learn !!!
i just believe that in Greece !!! "not talking for other countries" American Style is not a good solution !!! because there are no standards and in Greece the Certificates in American Style are given from the same dance school ! so that means that they may teach u anything they want !!
but if u do international style ! they can't teach u anything they want ! cause
teachers from england come and exam u ! and u get an istd degree !!!!!
in amercan u get an ABCD !!!!!
in other countries in not the same !!!
:)))
i know what i said was wrong !!!! but i still believe that better do international in greece and then go for the American style !

It does sound like American style was not a good choice for you, since few other people in your area dance it. And it's possible the quality of teaching is not so great. I wonder where the studio teaching American learned it?

But don't bash American style based on that. Done well, it's a great style of dance with lots of room for creativity.

And I don't think all your time learning American was wasted. Hopefully, you learned some basic things about dance, like frame, rhythm, and how to move, that you can use in international. You'll learn it faster than if you hadn't danced at all before.

And if you ever come to the US, you'll have lots of partners for your American style!

i understand and i know american style is great !!!!
but not so much experts here in Greece ! i
believe that a great expert in american style would be person who got trained in International style technique ! if i am not wrong !u can use the technique on American Style

"i go somewhere ! they say that there are no kick breaks in mambo, i go somewhere else they say yes there are but we do not use hands ! most studios i see have difrent footwork
!i was very angry cause i spend a lot of money to learn !!!
i just believe that in Greece !!! "not talking for other countries" American Style is not a good solution !!! because there are no standards and in Greece the Certificates in American Style are given from the same dance school ! so that means that they may teach u anything they want !!
but if u do international style ! they can't teach u anything they want ! cause
teachers from england come and exam u ! and u get an istd degree !!!!!
in amercan u get an ABCD !!!!! "

You are wrong.

There is no single standardized exam for american style, even over in america. Instead there are many different opinions and several organziations (including the chains) conducting examinations based on their different opinions.

Apples and Oranges-- the 2 systems are both valid within their context.

if taught correctly, the american style has much to offer . You need to remember WHERE this system originated , and for whom it was designed.
It essentially, has been around since the twenties ( up dated. of course )
It also provides coaching from world class dancers , and has produced many world class Prof. competitors in both Standard and Latin .

The system was , and is,beneficial to those who do not wish to pursue, a very strict form of social dancing, but are there more for the fun.
But, if you so wish, the upper levels are available, in many schools .

@rha-Keep in mind that many of the top professionals do not post videos of their routines if they are still actively competing. The last thing they want is for parts of their routine to pop up in someone else's because they were studying their videos. I know many American Style champions and most of them to not have online videos.

Carp Garbage for a year ... or whatever ...

I am going to go out on a limb here. I will presume you to be young and hard to please which are NOT mutually synonymous. I will also venture a guess that you may be disillusioned with your present teaching venue, program, or goodness NO ... your teacher.

A word of advice. If any of the three are accurate assessments ... STOP! Get in touch with the school owner and sit down for a "Program Re-evaluation". Please DO NOT blame ANYONE else for your feelings. YOU are the one in control here. YOU are the ONLY person who can make YOU happy, and that "Program Re-evaluation" with the Studio owner may be just what you need. Both of you may be required to accurately assess your boggle.

Please remember; Dancing is supposed to be FUN. If it isn't, then something, or someone is indeed wrong; so take my advice ... step back. Bend a little to find that happy place in your mind, then ask for help.

In closing ... I wish you joy and success in all that you do ... but especially in dancing!

Richard