What are the preconceived notions

about entertainers/dancers?
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 Are you willing to sacrifice your
own well-being to provide money for
your family?
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 Will you go against your parents’ will
to stand up for your own decisions?
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 Alberto S. Florentino
(1931-2018)
Playwright & Book Publisher
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 Early Life
Alberto S. Florentino (Bert) was born in Nueva
Ecija, Philippines on July 28, 1931, the second of
seven children of Alberto San Buenaventura
Florentino and Maria Rivera Sanqueza. His father was
a teacher who always organized drama and choral
groups. The young Bert used to type multiple copies of
his father’s plays, an activity that helped usher Bert
into playwriting.
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 Career
Later, as a 23-year-old accounting student at the
University of the East, Bert wrote the one-act play,
The World Is an Apple, which won the Carlos
Palanca Award. He dropped out of accounting and
went on to write plays, four more of which won
Palanca Awards: The Cadaver; The Dancers; Cavort
with Angels; and Oli Impan.
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 Career
He was the main scriptwriter of the award-winning
TV drama series in the 60s and 70s “Balintataw,” he
has written 100 plays for television and cinema, and
more than 50 for stage, besides having published
several collections of his own plays and more than
70 titles by other Filipino authors.
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 Career
He became a TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men)
awardee for literature in 1960, an honor he shared
with then Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., (for public
service).

In 2008, Florentino was given a Presidential Medal

of Merit for being a distinguished literary giant.
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 Further Life
● In 1983, soon after Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, he and his
family moved to New York where he continued his work and
where his daughters pursued their careers and established
families.
● In 2012, he was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s, after which
he and Eva, his wife, relocated to Portland, Oregon to be close
to their daughter Lisa.
● Bert passed away on Saturday morning, September 22, 2018.
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 “The Dancers”
(The Analysis)
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The Literary Analysis of The Dancers by Alberto “Bert” S. Florentino

 Summary
It’s a story of a poor family where women are engraved to
dance in bars such as Salon to earn money for a living. Rita,
the eldest daughter, has been influenced by his father to
dance at Salon at an early age of 16 accompanied by her
youngest brother Juanito. Though with objection from her
mother, it seems that she can’t do anything for she needs to
work for the sake of her family.
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 Summary
Since their father cannot and doesn’t want to work anymore
because he considers himself useless, he let his children
work for earnings and expenses. Then a situation overrun
when Juanito doesn’t want to go with Rita anymore. Elena,
Rita’s friend and co-worker, teased and insulted Juanito
which makes the matter worst. They fight and when Elena
was scared by Juanito, she ran outside crying.
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 Summary
Since nobody accompanies Rita to go at the Salon, Mang
Tomas decided to let Nenita go with her sister and work.
Tony objects and stops his father, but he was hit in face and
sent Tony bleeding. When their mother came in from Quiapo
church and notices a conversation going on and sees Nenita
dressed-up.
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 Summary
She doesn’t allow her younger daughter to go to such
place and expose to a place where women dance for pleasure
and money. But at the end, she has no choice for Juanito is
missing and no one will accompany Rita to Salon. At the end
the mother becomes restless and try to look for Juanito with a
burden in heart.
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 Setting

Place: at a doorway, a wide low

window and three steps of adobe
stones. At the front yard of a poor
family’s dwelling on the skirts of
the city.

Time: Early evening.

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How do these conditions affect the characters’ lives?

 Characters
Mang Tomas Mother
● Strong and healthy but considers ● An old religious woman.
himself useless ● Wife of Mang Tomas.
● The father of Tony, Juanito, Rita ● Her heart gets weaker and
and Nenita weaker everyday.
● A high-handed Father ● An industrious mother.
● A wicked Father/husband ● A very loving, caring and
● Selfish devoted mother and wife.
● Disrespectful
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 Characters
Tony Juanito
● Eldest son ● A thin gangling boy
● About twenty- one years of age. ● Very emotional person
● A jeepney driver ● Twelve years of age
● A good brother ● Youngest son of Mang Tomas
● Hardworking son ● The youngest brother of the
● Respectful son family
● A loving son/brother. ● He always accompany his sister
Rita at the cabaret/bar/club.
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 Characters
Rita
● Eldest child
● About 26 years old
● Very mature looking
● A dancer/ a club dancer
● A supportive child
● Provider for the family
● Emotional
● Hardworking
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Nenita
● A growing girl of seventeen
years old
● Youngest daughter
● Likes reading comic books
● She never protested when Mang
Tomas asked her to accompany
Rita.
 Characters
Elena
● She’s around 23 years old
● Gaudily dressed in a bright
colored, tight, short skin
● She wears heavy make-up and a
shawl around her shoulder.
● A dancer/ a club dancer
● Emotional
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 Plot Development

Exposition
Nenita, a growing girl of seventeen, sits on the long, wooden bench at
the right of her unshod feet resting on it. And reading her a copy of
“Pilipino Komiks”. Then, at that moment when Nenita gone to buy a
new comics, her mother arrived and talked with her husband –Mang
Tomas and they knew that Mang Tomas went at the bar and talked with
the manager to let Nenita take in-to work for him.
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 Plot Development
Rising Action
When Rita noticed Juanito and said to him that he must get ready because
they are getting late in going to work. Elana, friend of Rita who also dance
at the salon goes over to Juanito and said that he must move and get ready,
but Juanito didn’t even bother to answer Elana. She keeps on asking Juanito
if he will accompany them then Juanito shouted “No!”. Elena started raising
her voice explaining to that if he will not go with them their mother will
worry much about Rita, but Juanito still refused.
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 Plot Development
Climax
In the heat of the argument, Juanito called Elena a harlot. Rita was so mad at
Juanito and asked him why he called Elena that way but instead of
apologizing to his sister, he insisted that it was true. Rita was so surprised
and shocked about what she heard from Juanito. She slaps him several times
on the face, pushes him to the ground, and is about to kick him when Tony
together with his Father steps forward and stops her in time. Juanito picks
himself up and rushes down the street crying.
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 Plot Development
Falling Action
Despite the argument that occurred, Rita still wanted to go to salon even
without Juanito. But their father tried to stop Rita not because he doesn’t
want Rita to dance, but their mother will worry if she will go alone. So, her
father got the chance to let Nenita to join Rita to dance at the salon. Tony
disapproved his father’s decision, but his father suddenly hits him hard on
the face and he falls to the ground. Mang Tomas told Nenita to dress up and
Nenita obediently followed him.
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 Plot Development
Resolution
Their mother saw Tony with blood on his lips, but Tony did not explain what
had happened and ran away. She also saw her daughters Rita and Nenita
dressed up and asked her husband where they are headed. Mang Tomas said
that they will go at the salon. After hearing this, their mother started crying
because she doesn’t want her baby daughter, Nenita, to dance at the salon
but she doesn’t have the chance to stop Mang Tomas in letting Nenita to join
Rita at the salon in time. Then, Juanito, run to her crying.
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 Conflict

Type: External Conflict

A struggle with a force outside oneself.

“ Man vs. Circumstances”

“Man vs. Man”
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Which part in the play are these conflicts evident?

Genre

Drama
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 Theme

Poverty can change an individual’s principles and

ruin the relationship of family
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 Sharing Activity
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 1. What has changed in your idea about
dancers/entertainers after reading the text?
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 2. How did the family’s economic status
affect the decision-making of each
character?
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 3. Who among the characters carry the
most burden of responsibility? Explain.
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thank you!
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