Quinceanera

Picture of Young Latin Girl

A celebration of Latina womanhood

ABOUT THE QUINCEANERA

In the Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American traditions, the custom can be referred to as a Quince (XV) Años, a Quinces, a Quinceanera, a Quinceanero or a Fiesta Rosa. The celebration traditionally begins with a religious ceremony. A reception is held in the home or a banquet hall. The festivities include food and music, and in most, a choreographed waltz or dance performed by the Quinceanera and her court. It is a community and family celebration full of tradition and meaning when a young girl is symbolically escorted into womanhood by her family and the event is witnessed by her community. The word itself comes from the Spanish quince, "fifteen," and años, "years." Fifteen was the age when many young women left their family home to become wives and then mothers, and almost as though passing through an invisible door, a Latina enters her Quinceañera as a child but emerges as a young woman with new responsibilities. Those who know and love her will see and treat her differently from that day forward.

At the fiesta, the father dances with his daughter and then the mother takes her and dances with her until they get to the make-believe throne. The crown is put on her head by the mother, and when the girl is sitting, the father comes and takes off her sandals and puts on the high heels. Then the father takes his princess out to dance again and from there the party continues. The waltz or vals is really where I start to tear up at a quinceanera. To see a little girl dancing and twirling around like a polished princess is a breathtaking moment for me. No matter how many quinceaneras I attend. Choose your waltz along the theme of your celebration. Start learning the choreography as early as possible and practice frequently. I do suggest that you always practice in shoes that are very similar to the shoes that you will wear during the actual celebration. You want to know what it feels like to move around on the dance floor in the same type of heel you'll wear during the actual reception. Ask your damas to wear similar shoes to rehearsal as well. You want the entire court to feel confident and comfortable during the dancing so that you can shine your brightest. Usually three dances are needed for the Quinceanera celebration: the Father/Daughter Dance, the Group Waltz, and the Group "Fun" Dance. Start the dance instruction early -- nine months to a year in advance is a good rule of thumb. If you feel nervous about dancing with your father, now is the time to prepare. Consider taking a mini dance lesson with your father to get you both prepared for the big day. Dance instruction is a great way to build your confidence and your dads as well. Choose your song and dance style at least 6 months in before your party.

FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE MUSIC

In this dance the young lady and her father dance a waltz choreographed to their special song. Songs such as the ones listed below are quite popular right now:

Most Father/Daughter dances take approximately 3 - 6 hours of rehearsals, depending on the complexity of the dance and song and the ability of the dancers. They can incorporate sweet entrances with cuddles, twirls and send-outs, 3-7 dance steps; both stationary and traveling on the floor, and a dip or twirl to lean with bow and curtsey for the end.

GROUP WALTZ

This is the dance that most young ladies having a Quinceanera are the most concerned about. Choosing a song can be fun since you'll want to keep in mind the theme of your Quinceanera and also the number of dancers in the group and their abilities. Group Waltzes usually have between eight and twenty dancers although the most common number is twenty dancers; ten gentlemen and ten ladies. This dance presents best if all the dancers involved attend at least 5-10 hours of instruction in an appropriate hall or dance studio location with proper sound capabilities. Since this is really the big showcase dance most of the time and effort of the dancers is put into this dance. Costumes should allow for movement both forwards and back and arms should be able to be lifted above the head. Headpieces should be secured firmly and ladies shoe heels should be low enough to accommodate the speed of the waltz being used. A combination of ballroom dancing waltz and foxtrot moves, American civil war and contra dancing steps and renaissance dancing figures showcase the dancers effectively in formations and elegant couples' displays. Usually this dance is between 3-6 minutes and incorporates a feeling of being showcased for the young lady celebrating her Quinceanera. Sample songs include:

FUN GROUP DANCE

This dance can be a sassy salsa or combination of Latin dances like meringue, rumba, and cha cha, or an up-beat swing or even a group tango in historical costuming with props. Many young ladies choose to have this dance highly choreographed while others want the dance to feel improvised and want to just "learn the moves" so they can get out and dance! Again, the music will dictate the type of dancing and don't forget the more rehearsal, the better the performance! Whatever your Quinceanera celebration dancing needs, make it a fun and exciting experience for all involved both on and off the dance floor. Good song choices, enough rehearsal, practical choice of costumes and props and a doable time frame will help make your dancing dreams come true with beauty, elegance and excitement. All Star Dance Studio Marie Zimmer specializes in teaching the grand entrance, waltz, surprise dance and father and daughter dance. The steps are easy to learn and they are taught at a beginning, intermediate and advance level depending on the overall dance experience of the Quinceañera and her court. The choreography is taught by a professional dancer, choreographer. It is recommended to start dance lesson four to six months before date.

Marie works miracles as she creates unique dance choreography's for Quinceaneras, Sweet 16's, Cotillions and other special events. Her dance choreography consists of: Waltz, Tango, Salsa, Merengue, Cha, and Rumba and more… We offer dance instruction & workshops in over 20 different Latin & Ballroom dances. The ballroom dance lessons are taught at our studio in Hamilton, Ontario, L8W 2M1 The classes can be scheduled at flexible times to accommodate all the families. The dance studio has taught hundreds of Teens and Kids choreographed routines, that when performed amazes the audience. Our students come from Oakville, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster and Dundas.

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