Two days before they have to start working, the four girls have to rehearsed their dances. Locarno was really different, here they really have to work as cultural dancers. They were satisfied. The start to gain back their lost dignity and self-respect slowly and surely began to formed within themselves.
"Here in Locarno we really could taste our labor! I hope!" Thelma said to the three girls.
"I am happy. I really could send money to my parents every month. We have nothing to worry here. Our apartment was free and we have an allowance for our food. My whole salary I can send it to the Philippines." Lorna said.
"We really could do it. One year that is 12 times 300 US Dollars. Three thousand six hundred dollars! My mother could pay back the bank!" Carla also dreamed that after one year the problem of the family would disappeared.
"What do you think? Can I find here a boyfriend or a sugar daddy?" Luisa asked her group.
The three did not answered Luisa. They ignored her. Luisa understood the pouting and frowning and the swirling of their eyes but she just laughed. Luisa always enjoyed teasing her group.
The first night they have to perform, Paula was more nervous than the four girls, but Carla, Thelma, Lorna and Luisa were more concentrated to the audience that were present. All well-dressed and rich-looking people.
"Look at our audience!" Luisa said.
"Wow, and they looked so decent!" Thelma also commented.
"Do not concentrate to the audience, concentrate to the dance. We have to do our best!" Carla said.
"We have to do our best, so that we will not squashed!" Luisa told her group.
"Please, we must not worry. How many times we already danced the Tinikling, Pandanggo sa Ilaw, Cariniosa and the Igorot Dance?" Carla said. "We must not be nervous, we are Dancers!"
When the emcee called the four Filipinas, and when they showed on the stage, loud applause was heard, just clapping of hands, no degrading sounds like in Cyprus. Then everybody was quiet as they were enchanted to the soft and graceful swaying of the girls bodies and hands synchronizing to the music for the dance Pandanggo sa Ilaw. How the four Filipinas balanced the glass on top on their heads and on their hands was indeed can be seen that they have the qualities to represent their country Philippines thru cultural dances. But suddenly, the silence of the audience was broken by a big thud of body, Lorna slid and the glass on top of her head and on her hand flew up the air. A fire started to build up on Lorna's dress when the candle inside one of the glass landed on her dress, that she jumped up and down to put it out. The emcee helped Lorna while the three continued their dancing as liked nothing had happened, or maybe in their thoughts, nothing serious happened, so the show must go on! When the fire on Lorna's dress was put out, then the audience were relieved and the burst of laughter filled the air at the same time clapping their hands for Lorna who vowed before she left the stage to return to their dressing room.
When the three girls left in the stage finished the dance number, as they entered their dressing room they quickly asked Lorna.
"Are you okay? What happened to you? Why you fall down?"
"I am okay. I slide!" Lorna said to the girls.
"We knew you slide!" Luisa find it funny after all, she laughed.
"Can you still dance?" Carla asked Lorna.
"I only have bump on my head, the rest nothing, so yes, I can still dance! Only the dress for Pandanggo was partly burned, it has a hole! " Lorna answered.
YOU ARE READING
One Road, Six Ways
General FictionSix Filipinas not knowing they would became victims of human trafficking were glad that they went abroad as cultural dancers as what promised to them, little they knew the dangers that awaited for them in another countries, first in Cyprus, and lat...
