The Other Side of Nightlife: Family and Community in the Life of a Dance Hall Hostess (Case Study‪)‬

The usual depiction of Chinese dance ball hostesses is that of young, initially inexperienced women from poor, rural areas who are seduced by the material possibilities of urban living and who often lie to family and friends about the type of work they do. The case study of Chang Meihong indicates that this characterisation is incomplete. A dance hall position may in fact allow a married woman a large measure of power and independence vis-a-vis her husband and her female counterparts in the community. However, there is a complex set of social costs and benefits to the profession that such women have chosen. **********