American Rhythm is one of two categories in the American Style. It is composed of five dances in the order of cha cha, rumba, east coast swing, bolero, and mambo. It is mostly danced in the United States and Canada, however, it has been strongly influenced by Central and South American dances.
While some of the dances are often mistaken as “Latin,” the American Rhythm has developed its own syllabus and dance figures that are entirely different than Latin. For example, a Rhythm Cha Cha does not have the same steps as a Latin Cha Cha.
Another common misunderstanding is that Rhythm uses “Latin” technique. While the styles are similar and have Latin American influence, the technical style is referred to as “Cuban.”
Amongst the four main dance categories, Rhythm is the newest development as the dances started becoming popular after World War II. As such, the style is still developing unique step figures and music commonalities.
