Two-Step On In : Santa Ana’s Crazy Horse has lots of cozy couples dances, pardner.
Its newest singing sensations look more like starlets than farmers’ daughters, but country, of course, will never die, and it continues to thrive in a down-home way at the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana.
One of Orange County’s oldest cowboy venues, the intimate, 19-year-old honky-tonk is nationally known for the acts it brings into proximity with fans who wear shiny buckles and tall hats.
Tammy Wynette once ever so politely excused herself when she brushed by my seat just before stepping on stage. Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and tons of others (up-and-comers too) have passed through repeatedly over the years. Their autographed photos dot the cheerily papered walls.
What’s all this mean for dancers? Lots of two-stepping and other cozy couple dances. Line dancing, that latter-day craze that came in big with “Achy Breaky,” takes a back seat.
The other Wednesday, deejay Kristine Robbin played more than half a dozen two-stepable hits by the likes of Clint Black before resorting to an electric slide and a tush push. But she went right back to arm-in-arm, following the pattern as the night progressed, mixing in cha-chas, waltzes and swings.
The oblong floor isn’t the best. It’s small and narrow. Also, more advanced dancers, and, if it’s your preference, a younger crowd will be found elsewhere, and there are some less than traditional sights at the Crazy Horse.
Baseball caps (is some hunky country star setting that trend?) nearly outnumbered Stetsons, and one of the night’s most energetic hoofers had to have come straight from work: She wore black pumps, a conservative skirt and silky blouse.
Still, this place feels far more like Texas than Newport Beach. Regulars, friendly as heck, own horses and work ranches. Remember the manly way John Travolta let his right hand hang over Debra Winger’s left shoulder--instead of prissily placing it around her waist--when they danced in “Urban Cowboy”? That’s a stance you’ll see.
The decor aids the cause. A big American flag hangs flat against one wall opposite bales of hay. A life-size mechanical cowboy with a brassy spittoon between his boots glares down from his perch above a bank of booths, slowly turning his head from left to right, left to right.
Kristine Robbin gives tips on telling left from right every Wednesday and Friday. Two free 30-minute lessons begin at 7 p.m. One’s a line dance, the other’s for couples. Her lineup includes East Coast swing, as well as the staples. And remember, you don’t need a partner. Robbin, who’s been teaching at the Crazy Horse on and off for nine years, makes sure everybody has one.
Thursdays, meanwhile, are talent night: The live bands that play Thursday through Saturday back anybody with the courage to belt. But if you want salsa or hip hop, go to some adulterated country bar.
BE THERE
Crazy Horse Steak House, 1580 Brookhollow Drive, Santa Ana; (714) 549-1512. Dancing Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Free lessons at 7 p.m. Cover: $4 after 7:30 p.m.