Stepping Out With the Cajuns

The only legs not dancing at Sunday’s inaugural evening at Chank-a-Chank belonged to the crabs floating in Styrofoam bowls of seafood gumbo over rice. And given the level of spice in the gumbo, it’s a bit surprising they weren’t hopping too.

Chank-a-Chank, the new zydeco and Cajun club, is hopping on Sunday nights at the Radio Nightclub in West Los Angeles.

“It’ll pep you up,” said caterer Frieda Singleton as she dished out the food alongside her sister-in-law, Carolyn.

Just as tasty, but not quite as spicy, were plates of red beans, sausage and rice, with sweet potato pie for dessert. The Singletons, representing Chef Cedric Singleton, former proprietor of the Big Easy Cafe that used to be on Robertson Boulevard, said Chank-a-Chank patrons can expect jambalaya, etouffee and other regional dishes in the future.

Cajun dancing may well be the aerobic exercise of the ‘90s. Out on a dance floor as humid as South Louisiana in the summer, several dozen people at any given time were two-stepping and waltzing as Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas from Lafayette, La., plied accordions, guitars and a corrugated metal washboard (the only instrument played with silverware) to make the lively sounds from which the club took its onomatopoeic name.

The Cajun craze of the last decade is over, but there’s still a sizeable core of dedicated dancers.

“There’s a handful of us who are real serious and we’ll go to anything,” said Marylin Kass, 45, a court reporter from Brentwood who’s been Cajun dancing for two years.

You’ll find these people a mixed bag ethnically, culturally and professionally. They dance the first Friday of each month at Culver City Masonic Lodge, the last Friday at the South Pasadena War Memorial Hall, every Wednesday at Harvell’s in Santa Monica and they turn up at concerts and festivals as far away as the music’s Louisiana home.

T-shirts commemorating trips to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival six weeks ago were among the more prominent fashion statements Sunday.

That dedication is what Chank promoter David Gaar--himself a proficient Cajun accordionist and dancer--is counting on.

“I just want to get the regular dance crowd, people who come out for exercise and music--have some dinner, dance, hang out,” he said.

On opening night, Gaar ushered in about 160 people who packed the floor, leaving just enough room for the dazzling moves of the best dancers. But for all that, Gaar is trying to make sure that neophytes aren’t scared off.

Stan Bertheaud and Sandy Baker were on hand to give free dance lessons before the band hit the stage, and a few beginners took up the offer, mixing commendably with the experts later.

The cozy, dark and virtually undecorated Radio provides the perfect ambience for this scene. (It’s an almost spot-on match for Nathan & the Cha-Chas home club, El Sido’s in Lafayette, La., a cinder-block club built by hand by Nathan’s older brother, Sid Williams.)

The dance floor’s the center of activity, but there are plenty of tables and chairs and an L-shaped bar for between-dance breaks. And in a little room behind the stage, there’s a pool table.

Chank-a-Chank fashion sense: Besides the souvenir T-shirts, men favored tropical print shirts with jeans for all. Women gave it a bit more thought, emphasizing comfort over style, opting for loose floral print dresses or leotard tops and mid-length skirts--anything that flared when twirled.

Average cost of outfit: about the price of one shoe for a typical Stringfellows or Arena patron, who would probably fail to see the point of Chank-a-Chank.

Which is the point of Chank-a-Chank.

Name: Chank-a-Chank, at the Radio Nightclub, 11784 Pico Blvd., (213) 444-9344. Open Sundays, 5 to 10 p.m.

Admission: 21 and over. $10 when touring bands such as Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas are featured; $6 for local acts, including next Sunday’s Zydeco Party Band.

Doormen: Promoter David Gaar greets guests while sitting on a stool outside the door, playing his Cajun accordion.

Drinks: Full bar with sodas at $2.50, beer starting at $2.25 and mixed drinks starting at $3.

Expected Longevity: The regular dance crowd should be able to keep this going for the foreseeable future.