Doin’ the Hustle: American Bandstand’ turns infomercial on Thump!’

Kirk Baird

Friday, March 9, 2001 | 9:30 a.m.

It's "Dance Fever" meets the Electric Food Dehydrator; "The Grind" meets the Torso Track.

Those are just a couple of ways to describe "Thump!" a new dance show taped at the Rio's Club Rio. Airing at 12:30 a.m. Fridays on WGN (Cox cable channel 11), "Thump!" is essentially a half-hour infomercial for Thump Records, a Los Angeles-based record label specializing in dance music that's largely geared toward the Hispanic community.

And similar to infomercials, the show is pretty simplistic.

There's a host, in this case Leon Quenneville, who prefers to go by his first name and who is also the show's creator and producer; two co-hosts, Lisa Rubalacava and Aaryn Alonzo; and a DJ, all of whom pitch a product.

In this case the product is Thump Records' music, which is played almost exclusively during the show. In addition to the on-air mentions of the host and co-hosts, each song title is displayed on TV while it's being played.

As Ray Baum, national sales director for the label, put it: "It's a big marketing tool for Thump Records cleverly disguised as a dance show."

But for Las Vegans, it's a chance to be seen.

At "Thump!" tapings, which are open to the public and take place on the first Friday of each month, four shows are taped. They are broadcast on consecutive Fridays during the following month.

As for the tapings, there are cameras in a studio at the top of the club, and two cameras that stay on the dance floor, continuously recording the gyrations of the club-goers.

These, however, are not professional dancers they are whoever happens to be on the dance floor at that time.

"Anybody can dance and enjoy this music," Leon said. "We make it a point to tell the cameramen to show the real people."

Which has its appeal, especially to those who ordinarily would never appear on national TV.

Case in point: Christina Leslie of Las Vegas.

At Club Rio with some friends during a recent taping, Leslie, 22, wasn't shy about mugging for the camera, smiling mischievously while bouncing to the throbbing beat energetically when the camera would look her way.

"It makes you want to get your groove on and get someone's attention," Leslie said.

It was the same reaction for Leslie's friend, Colleen Harchar, 22, of Cleveland.

Harchar said she enjoyed the opportunity to dance for a national audience, and looked forward to seeing the show when it aired.

"It's a bonus," she said. "I have a way to remember my night."

It's because of out-of-towners such as Harchar, and the fact there are so many of them, that "Thump!" is filmed in Las Vegas.

With these visitors comes not only a mixture of ethnicity, which is important when pitching a product, but when club-goers return home they're apt to tune in to the show and tell others about their appearance.

"Our thought was, 'Where can we go film and have the opportunity to spread the word?' " Leon said.

Which is why, after initially taping in Pheonix in December and moving on to Los Angeles and San Francisco, "Thump!" settled into Las Vegas in February.

At first Leon said he discussed producing the show at other local clubs, but when he saw that Club Rio caters to Thump Records' primary market -- especially with the club's Latin-theme nights on Thursdays -- he realized it was a perfect match.

He and the Rio agreed that "Thump!" gets free use of the club in exchange for free advertising spots and publicity for the hotel-casino during the show -- essentially, a commercial within a commercial.

Although there is no formal contract, both parties are happy with the arrangement so far, they said, and want to extend the production at least another three months.

For Club Rio, the TV show provides a way to distinguish itself from other clubs on the increasingly crowded and competitive Las Vegas nightlife scene.

For club-goers, "Friday nights there is an ebb and flow. It's a scouting night to make the determination where to go Saturday," Tyri Squyres, public relations manager for the Rio, said. Recently when the cameras began filming, "No one left the dance floor."

And that was before word about the show had been generated, since none of the Las Vegas tapings had yet aired.

Now that it can be seen on TV, Squyres said she hopes for a bigger turnout of both visitors and locals.

Regardless of who's at the club, the fact that Las Vegas is getting this kind of exposure on a national basis is positive, said John D. Guzman, a local nightclub promoter.

Guzman said "Thump!" showcases a side of Las Vegas that many who watch the show may be unaware of -- the club scene -- and helps promote the city as being hip.

Still, after having seen "Thump!" he did have some reservations.

"The show isn't anywhere what it could be. It's an informerical," Guzman said. "But it's the beginning of something that has potential."