Keeping the Ballroom Rolling : Majestic Holds Sway for Vietnamese-Style Fun
The stylish Majestic, which can pack a near-capacity crowd of around 450 on weekends, is one of Orange County’s hottest Vietnamese-style dance clubs.
A few Fridays ago, it was difficult to find a velour-backed seat. Management said getting Vietnamese student associations to sell tickets helped, but nobody seemed to have been unwillingly dragged along, even those driving from Long Beach or farther.
Dancers remained cheek by jowl throughout the night on the spacious club’s 1,400-square-foot dance floor, crowned by two brilliantly lit, mirrored balls. It was a fascinating showcase of cultural cross-pollination and generational differences in addition to your basic high-energy partay.
The well-dressed clientele here ranges from 21 to sixtysomething; freestyle and ballroom dancing are done about equally, with most folks practicing both.
French colonization brought ballroom dance to Vietnam, where many of Majestic’s older patrons learned to love it. The club’s younger set, enthralled with its challenge and sophistication, typically have taken dance lessons (waltz, rumba, tango) at American colleges.
Live bands always play, and the format is overwhelmingly contemporary. A fine sound system amplifies electric guitars, brass and keyboards; nobody plays traditional Vietnamese zithers.
But vocalists deliver Vietnamese songs in that language, romantic French-language songs, and rap, disco and Top 40 tunes in English and Vietnamese.
The other night, Cong Thanh, a Tom Jonesian figure, gave an emotional rendering of Sinatra’s schmaltzy “My Way,” knitting his brow with feeling. Dancers performed a Boston fox trot to the moderate beat, spiced up by claves and maracas.
Later, Thanh’s wife, known only as Lynn, belted out the Village People’s classic “YMCA” to the standard animated response from local club-goers.
Attire ranged from shiny, hip-hugger bell-bottoms to long velvet dresses and suits and ties, the latter worn by young and older men alike. Alluring models wore updated versions of silky, traditional Vietnamese clothes for a fashion show between band sets.
Patrons watched every pulchritudinous move from long, close-together rows of tiny round tables seating four apiece. The layout and decor is European, says the club’s management, featuring deep-red walls simply adorned with unobtrusive artwork. A muted mural behind the stage pictures Corinthian columns and classical arches.
The 6-year-old Majestic, which was closed for months after a 1993 fire, is pricey. Admission generally ranges from $10 to $20 depending on the entertainment, which has included singer Tuan Ngoc, well known in the U.S. and renowned in Vietnam. Beer usually costs $5, and sodas and bottled water go for $4, though those prices can change too. Valet parking is $5.
The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, however, and just about everybody speaks English. But there’s almost no place to mingle, and many attendees come in closely knit groups, so it might be wise to take a friend or two the first time out.
BE THERE
The Majestic, 18582 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach; (714) 963-1089. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Fri. and Sat. Cover: $10-$20.