Dancing for Your Life: The True Story of Maria de la Torre and Her Secret Life in a Hong Kong Go-Go Bar

Dancing for Your Life chronicles the true story of a beautiful, young Filipina who, in order to help her family financially, leaves her home in the quiet Philippines countryside to work as a dancer in Hong Kong's red-light district of Wan Chai. This book will hold special appeal for readers interested in gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of an Asian go-go bar and will serve as a companion guide for individuals interested in cultural studies, gender studies, or spirituality. It presents a rare first-person account that is thought provoking and controversial. Here is the “untold story” of faith, friendship, and sacrifice, but also of triumph and forgiveness.

“Straightforward. Honest. Storytelling that works because it bleeds truth on every page. This is a surprisingly powerful book.” —Karl Taro Greenfeld, former Editor, TIME Asia magazine

This book – a winner at the President's Book Awards and finalist at the National Best Book Awards – lends itself to classroom or group discussion and would be a welcomed companion for courses in sociology, social science, or multicultural studies. This is the go-to book for readers wanting to understand life in the Asian bar world.