Snake Hips: Belly Dancing and How I Found True Love [Hardcover]

"For anyone that has been in this dance form and done any performing, you will relate."

"Captivating."

"By the last chapter you, too, will be glad to have a tush to push and a belly to wiggle." -- First For Women, June 30, 2003. "For anyone that has been in this dance form and done any performing, you will relate." -- Zaghareet!, May/June 2003. "A rediscovered sense of passion." -- Variety. "Winningly charming and funny." -- Salem Press.

"Soffee's witty, flowing prose draws readers in."

"A vigorous, funny account of the effects of a blighted romance cured, sort of, by a course in belly dancing."

"It's a hoot."

"Fascinating"

"By the last chapter you, too, will be glad to have a tush to push and a belly to wiggle."

"Packed with offbeat characters that prove, once again, that life is funnier than fiction."

"Lively, wry book."

"Full of belly laughs."

"Told with honesty, humility, and hilarity."

This hilariously uplifting memoir follows an Arab-American woman's merry life as she shimmies her way from getting dumped by her tattoo-artist boyfriend to coming to grips with being single, ample, and 30. In the tradition of 'Bridget Jones's Diary' but true, this unique story is filled with colourful characters such as Rosie, the corn-rowed truck-driving belly dancer; Fahed, cologne-doused rich loser; Too-Tall Mary, a member of an amateur belly dancing troupe; and Gimmel, the author's Jewish great-uncle. While searching online for a sexy sheikh to save her from her lacklustre existence, Soffee finds a belly dancing class in a catalogue and, against the wishes of her Lebanese-American extended family, enrols in an attempt to find her roots and heal her heart. Her life will never be the same as she discovers the riotous world of American belly dancing, a warm and welcoming subculture where younger and thinner are not necessarily better. Surprised to find happiness among the zils and trills of attending classes and performing in moose lodges and county fairs, she finds true love along the way.

This hilariously uplifting memoir follows an Arab-American woman’s life as she shimmies her way from getting dumped by her tattoo-artist boyfriend to coming to grips with being single, ample, and 30. Her heart broken, Soffee moves back home to wallow in self-pity. There she comes across a flier advertising the usual classes in yoga, vegetarian cookery, ballet and...belly dancing. Against the wishes of her extended family and friends, she enrols, hoping to heal her heart and reconnect with her Lebanese roots.

Soffee soon discovers that her life will never be the same after she enters the riotous world of belly dancing, a warm and welcoming subculture where younger and thinner are not necessarily better. Soffee’s ethnic high leads to Princess Jasmine fantasies – for example, being ‘third-favourite wife’ to a sheik she is cyber-dating, a perfect relationship until she realizes that being obedient is easier online. Then she falls for a beautiful Lebanese boy-next-door. Among the zils (finger cymbals) and thrills of performing in moose lodges and county fairs, Soffee is surprised to find happiness and true love along the way.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Anne Thomas Soffee was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She was educated at the College of William and Mary and received an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her hips were educated at Scheherezade’s, Sheva’s and ZZ’s Schools of Belly Dance. In the past, she has been employed as a bookseller, gas station attendant, heavy metal band wrangler, freelance music journalist, tattoo parlour lackey, and voiceover actress for kung fu movies. She now teaches special education. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.