International

After WWI. a few groups in England got together and established what is now known as the International style of dance.with two categories: Standard – which includes the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz, and Latin– which includes Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Jive, and Paso Doble. It has been an influence on an established English style, not a derivation. The International style was established at the time when the sun never set on the British Empire. It was not simply descriptive, but also prescriptive, largely and primarily in the interests of the English dance teachers involved.

"Social dancers believe that dancing is a fun way to exercise, though

it may be disregarded by those who argue they can’t dance.

Face it, anybody can feel good moving to music."

The British established a power base formed by having organized the first extensive dance competition system which they exported around the British Empire and much of the rest of the world. They then created, for example, a Viennese Waltz with virtually no steps in it (over the strong objections of the Viennese masters, as I understand), To this day, the world over, the Viennese Waltz is the one danced in Vienna. They also developed a Slow "English" Waltz with an extensive syllabus. They created Jive, definitely not Latin and based on an American dance, and wonder why Americans don't conform to their "descriptions."

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

They created Tango, which is quite different from the Argentine version it was supposed to be based on. The rest of the Latin dances are even worst off. They created Rumba and got the basic step correctly. Their Cha Cha Cha is a bit off but generally well liked for all the right reasons. Samba is way off with way too many basic steps, in effect different dances. The Paso Doble is not Latin. Originally from France went into Spain and evolve into a Bullfighter dance. And yet International has been the biggest influence World Wide of the Ballroom Dances.

"It may be that nothing so deceives your adversaries as telling them the truth."