I do American Smooth Tango in mostly closed positions with very little open work and try to do it with Int. Tango technique. The silver syllabus pattens with DVision are mostly closed positions. I plan on competing in both Int. and Smooth Tango--what I am trying to figure out is what can I carry over from Int. to Smooth. I know Int. is 32 bpm compared to 30 bpm (Am. has different syllabuses). I know the different syllabuses and Int. looks snapper with all those head snaps. But, there is lots of overlapping technique, style, and movement.

I think there is a trend developing (especially serious amateurs) that smooth dancers are trying to incorporate more Int. technique into their dancing and not do all the sloppy open work--do some (25 to 50 percent) open work, but not all open work. This does not apply to the professionals.

Is anyone else trying to merge the two (Int. and Am.) tangos closer together?
I know that all the judges are Int. trained and are looking for Int. technique in Am. Smooth. The two (Int. and Am.) Tango's appear to easier to blend than say foxtrot or waltz. Is anyone else doing both dances and what do you do to blend them?

I am a full Silver American Style Competitive dancer. Here in Canada, most of the judges are International. Over the last year, we have taken many lessons using International technique for the American DVsion steps. One of the things we are doing is trying to keep most of the Tango rythmic flows more American. There seems to be little relationship between Tango music and the actual rhythmic patern of the International steps. Open steps need not to be sloppy. They add a lot of zest and excitment to the Tango, but they must be executed precicely and artistically. Ideally, every American style competitor can learn an immense amount by taking International style and presentation lessons. Unfortunately, from what I see in my province of Ontario, many of the American style dancers do not seem to show the precise technique and presentation that our International competitive dancers exhibit. When we did our Silver Medals, using American Dvision syllabus, we noticed that the Waltz and Foxtrot seemed to be more closed and more like International. If I will use them in competition, I think that I will add some Open style framework to my routines.

Hope that this is of some use to you