I am having a hard time distinguishing the two different style when I dance. What are the difference between the two styles? Especially difference in bending and straightening of the legs...

I'd really appreciate your help! :)

The quick answer is this: International style features a predominantly straight leg action, while American style features a bent leg action.

It's important to be aware, however, that "straight leg action" does not mean the legs never bend, any more than "bent leg action" means they're always bent. The truth is, both styles of movement use alternating bent and straight legs; What gives the impression of a "straight action" or a "bent action" is simply the timing of the straightening. To produce a straight leg action, the straightening action is completed before the transfer of weight to a foot; To achieve a bent leg action, the leg remains bent through the weight transfer.

Instead of using the terms International and American, I prefer to describe the actions as "pressed" or "extended", since both Americans and International dancers use both types of leg action at various times. With this in mind, I'll describe the action of a forward walk to illustrate the differences in timing between the pressed and extended versions.

Begin standing upright with both legs straight, pointing one toe backwards. With either action, a walk begins with a relaxing or "settling" of the hip towards the standing leg. This is accompanied by a bending of the knee of the free leg. The free foot then moves forward towards its new position, and this is where the pressed and extended walk part company.

For an extended walk, as the free foot begins to point forward having passed the standing foot, the knee begins to straighten. The leg is fully extended to a straight forward point before the transfer of weight begins. For a pressed walk, the knee remains bent as the foot moves forward of the body. Depending on who you talk to, the leg will then either remain fully bent throughout the weight transfer, only to straighten once the weight change is complete, or the leg will straighten concurrently with the transfer of weight, both finishing at the same time.

As you can see from the example, the difference between a pressed and extended action comes down to one specific moment. The remainder is identical. So if you think about it, there is actually more similarity than difference between pressed and extended movements.

Regards,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com

How about free leg after weight transfer? When I learned International Rumba, my instructor told me to keep both of my legs straightened after each step. Is it the same for American Rumba? Or is more like American Cha Cha (keep one leg straight and one leg bent most of the times)?

Thanks!

The comparisons between Amer. ( Square ) Rumba and Intern. style in the strictest sense, have only the music in common, and even that can vary to a great degree.

Intern. style was formatted from Rumba/Bolero, and the Cuban style of Rumba(Sq.) ,( which was danced in closed position and cubans still do), was modified in hold/frame, to suit the general public, and dance teaching of the era .

Square Rumbas evolvement over the yrs, has departed ( as has most Latin dances ) from its original context, by adding much more variety, and in so doing, has affected its cultural significance .

Many Amer. studios still teach a much more relaxed leg action, in the Square format. This has consistency with the way that Cubans dance .

Like ALL dances done socially, they have become "copies " of indigenous forms, and most if not all, have taken on a new appearance.

Thories and technique behind latin dance, are always subject to analysis.

It always begs the Q.. do " we " know better than the " natives ", how to interpret their dances, rhythmically and in content ?.

Music today, has changed dramatically in many cases, and this has affected the WAY we dance, and the variety that we include in that process.It also has been affected, by processing it thru a competitve and medal test system, that tends to produce robotic styles and mechanical and predictable actions .
There was a point to this.. it was called uniformity.. it has, obviously good points.. BUT.. did it lose something in this translation?.

One always has to be careful, when improvisation and re- design of a National dance is undertaken.. we may create a hybrid which becomes so far removed from its " ancestor " that it no longer resembles its parentage !.. ( its already happened in some cases ).