The story depicts the relationship of the family, particularly describing the relationship that binds between a mother and a daughter. The story as well shows the failure of a family to keep the harmonious relationship between each member specifically the relationship between the pillar of the household and the one who gives light. It broached us to the reality that not all household can uphold a good relationship between each member, there were times that you probably can’t bear the argument anymore and even come up with the realization to just put an end to a relationship you once commit your life with. Like what happened with Dina and her husband. It also shows how an individual pursues her passion in life.
Setting
The story’s setting happened at the house of Miss Martha and Dina Segunda. At the onset of the story you will easily spot of where the story took place, and out of that, you can say that it happened in a certain house. Although the story does pinpoint directly the story’s setting. But if you notice it, as Dina made her way downstairs, you can then conclude that it happened in their house, since the narrator revealed in her later narration that they lived in a two-storey house with a red roof and one entire wall paved with mirrors. This is where most scenes in the story take place. In their house there was this photograph that her mother loved, it was her in a grey grass skirt, and her mother used to point it out to her friends that she named her daughter Martha from Martha Graham. There was also this barre, which they used against stretching. Their house served as a training ground in learning ballet, and her teacher was her persistent mother.
Plot
The story started with Martha who opened a door for the man who was probably younger than the last who was asking for Dina. On the other hand, Dina was off to go with her make-up and costume on, ready to rock the night but just opted to stay upstairs so she can make a slow entrance down the steps with a one-hand gliding on the bannister. She was then very careful with her steps as she made her way downstairs. As she passed by the room of her granddaughter Dorrie: who at that moment watching television but still favoured her aversion of low two-note whistle and rewarded her an approving look. Her 22-year-old daughter Martha was waiting up for her mother, as she made her way up to the front door. Martha thought her mother was in love again.
Then, suddenly Martha remembered about the barre with dread. She reminisces her childhood times. They lived in a two-storey house with a red roof and one entire wall paved with mirror. Those times that her mother was persistent in teaching her ballet. Dina has a blazing passion for dancing and she wants her daughter to have it too the way as she did. But then, Martha thought that learning ballet can be useful though since she used her skills that obtained from her training of ballet in escaping at night, going out to a party. Martha was just sixteen when she met Carlos the father of her six-year-old daughter Isadora. At the party, she dances as if there is no tomorrow. She was having fun with her companion at the party. In the morning her father whips her with a stingray's tail. She remembers not to weep. Isadora wanted to dance in her father’s funeral. Carlos just arrived a month before his death. He never had quality time spent with her daughter Isadora. It was just one time that Martha received a call from Carlos, telling she has nowhere to go without knowing that what Carlos need was a place to die. So, Martha offered Carlos to stay in her place for a few days.
She both parents parted ways, but her father never fails to show up in her hardest times. She was asked by her father if everything is alright? She wanted to ask her dad what went wrong? Why he left and yet keep coming back for those shorts’ awkward visits. When he sees his both parents talking in a porch sometimes for an hour. She wants to ask them, of how to explain death to a child or how one tells one’s mother to grow up. But then, she realized that she quite tired and what she wants for now is to rest her head to her father’s shoulder, nothing more.
Outside, her daughter Isadora has stopped dancing and has plopped down on the lawn, probably humming to herself again. His mother moved back to a forgotten Madonna, takes a starched white handkerchief in the pocket wipe the image clean again. One night someone called her about her mom, it was from another club. Telling her that her mother probably got tired and fallen asleep wondering if Martha would send someone to pick her mother up. So, Martha arrived immediately to where her mom is, she met the manager of the club and thanked him. When they arrived home, they both can’t sleep and it both their cue for milk and cookies and she felt she is her daughter again her mother watches her drinking one hand on the hip and she looks like someone on the verge of hootchie-kitschy. She laughed so hard that she barely falls off the chair. They often catch their selves barely in time, always never quite centred, falling and being caught, like the truest dancers.
Characters
Dina Segunda
A mother and the same time a grandmother who has a great passion for dancing. She is separated from her husband. She is a liberalist woman, who is fond up going out with a friend for a dance. She likes clubbing and seems like she sees dancing as her escape from her chaotic world.
Martha
A daughter and a mother of a six-year-old Isadora. She is a bit impulsive. She has a daughter at the age of 22. A strong woman who did everything to her child, even if it was early that she became a mother but still she did it. She raises her daughter alone with the help of course of her parent. She encountered devastation in life, the father of her child died just a month of stay in their home. She was troubled explained it to her daughter, since how can a child absorbed sadden information at such age.
Martha’s Father
Martha’s parent separated. But her father truly did sill care for her. She was whip by her father during those times that she escapes at night going out partying. Her father still visited them even to those hardest times in her life.
Carlos
The father of her daughter Isadora. Who only showed up a month before his death. He has no lengthy memories and time spent with her daughter Isadora since he was bedridden from the time he was at the place of Martha.
Isadora
The six-year-old daughter of Martha who loves dancing just like her grandmother Dina. She loves bragging her mother to dance. She is innocent and just enjoyed the days of her childhood. Watching television and dancing.
Theme
The short story entitled “Dance” by Ida Flores Ortega showed the courage of every woman in our society. It portrays the bravery of every woman no matter what odds they are facing in life but in the end, they still manage on how to face it with grace and smile plastered in each face. As dancers, we all know that performing at the front of the crowd is never been easy to combat with the shaking of sweating of our palms and entire body, the adrenaline rush that may hit directly to one’s veins is inevitable. But in the mind of every dancer and performer is the aim to render entertainment and inspire others to win against nervousness. We honestly, laugh at them whenever they commit mistakes and forget about the steps, but did not know what they been through. How they struggle and retain composure despite how nervous they are. They still manage to showcase their glamour and able to flash their sweetest smiles but doesn’t have any clue what they have inside. Like these two women who were courageous enough to face their battles in life and it's just great to know that in the end they still have each other shoulders to lean on. They still can count on each other. Truly a woman can certainly understand her fellow woman. Two women who encountered failure and devastation in life but still manage to stand despite the obstacles that hinder their ways.
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