The question of whether to pursue Int'l or American style really depends on your goals and your environment. Where do you plan to do most of your dancing, and with whom? How much commitment do you have in terms of time, money, attention and effort? Do you want to work hard to become the best dancer you can possibly be, or do you just want to go out social dancing every once in a while for relaxation? What do the people around you seem to be doing in your studio, and especially in the places where you like to go dancing?
Knowing the answers to these questions should make the choice fairly clear to you. For example, if you plan to dance with only your husband, then the issue of your environment matters less... you don't need to worry what others around you are doing, since you only need to be compatible with each other. Music is only a slight issue, since most Int'l and American style can share the same or similar music.
On the other hand, if you want to be able to dance with as many people as possible, then knowing the style of dancing that people are doing around you is important. For the greatest compatibility, you might want to pursue both. Or alternatively, start by learning the besic steps that both styles have in common (which is about 50 to 75%), and then branching out from there.
American style tends to be geared towards social dancing, so that's what you'll find most helpful if that's your goal. There is actually a competitive American style and it's quite challenging to learn, but the best competitive American style dancers tend to have a foundation in Int'l style, since it's more technically oriented. If you want to be a great dancer and you're willing to put in as much time and effort as possible, then you can choose either style, depending on what you like the look and feel of better, but I suggest beginning with Int'l style as a foundation either way.
So my short answer is: For social dancing - American style. For competitive dancing or (non-competitive dancing, if you're just a hobbyist who wants to be really good) - Start with Int'l style, and then make a decision later. You can stay Int'l, or you can add or change to American.
Which one is actually easier? Neither. Both can be equally as challenging... each one simply has a different focus. Because of the social nature of American style, there tends to be a stigma that causes people to beleive that it's "wimpier" or less valid as a style. But that point of view tends to stem from ignorance of the style. I will say, however, that by the same token, American style is taken less seriously and therefore sometimes glossed over by teachers. If you're looking for a challenge, you should theoretically get the same quality of education from American style as you would from Int'l. But in reality, it doesn't always work that way. A teacher who tries to pursuade you to switch entirely to Int'l style probably does not take American style very seriously as a challenging method to improve one's dancing, and because of this, will probably not be the best American style teacher. In that case, I would recommend following his or her advice.
A couple of other things to keep in mind:
-- There's no reason why you can't learn both styles. Play around with them a while, and then decide which of them you enjoy more. There's no rule that says you have to stick to just one thing.
-- If you don't live in North America, the answer is without a doubt Int'l style. Nobody outside of America even knows that American style exists, much less how to dance it.
-- Don't let anybody else make up your mind for you! Don't let a persuasive teacher or derogatory comment from a peer discourage you from pursuing your own goals. The ultimate answer is to do whatever you enjoy doing most.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson
