Traditional Coming-of-Age Dance
In Mexico and in many Latin American communities, quinceañera is the celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday, and popularly known as fiesta de quince años. It is derived from “quince” (fifteen) and años (years). This is a celebration that marks the transition of a girl from childhood to womanhood.
As a celebration, dancing is a most important part of the quinceañera. There will be specialty dances like the father-daughter dance, the waltz group dance and the “surprise dance”. The other dances include salsa, cha-cha, meringue, bolero and rumba.
Many people still revere the tradition and take great pains in preparing for it. The concerned fathers take time out to learn the dances in the celebration.
Tradition
Among the few universal Latin American celebrations, the quinceañera is typically one of the more revered because it had a rich tradition. It is evolving today with American Latinas and it is still very common with second and third generation Hispanic girls.
Dance has always been a very important and distinct element of the celebration.
Preparations
The celebration is often a lavish party with many guests, like a wedding party. Preparations take anywhere from six months to two years, with the family and godparents saving up for the party until the girl comes of age.
Also, time is needed for preparing everything --- decorations, cakes and dresses. These days, they now have expos, websites and magazines to help the quinceañera plan for her birthday celebration.
Dancing lessons
The dances and the other traditional rituals included in the quinceañera have to be learned and ready to be performed in front of the guests.
Today, in most progressive places where there is a good number of Latinos in the population, quinceanera dance lessons Orlando abound. Offers include quinceanera choreography and “sweet sixteen” choreography.
Also, the big bulk of the lessons are geared to teach waltz, tango, salsa, cha-cha, rumba and many other Latin dance styles. The dance instructors in these dance studios are experts in quinceanera choreography. More importantly, they are experts in teaching non-dancers how to dance.
The dances
The quinceañera today still includes the father and daughter dance. It one of the most emotional part of the celebration symbolizing the birthday girl’s first dance as a young woman with her father.
The father and daughter dance is traditionally a waltz. Often, it is an opportunity for the father to give his daughter words of encouragement in her first step into womanhood.
Following the father and daughter dance, the Quinceañera chambelan (or the birthday girl’s escort) will approach the father and ask for permission to dance with the birthday girl. The dance is followed by the family waltz (with relatives, and close friend).
If the father is not available, usually an older man that has served as a father-figure will take his place. Prior to the Quinceañera party the dancers will attend at least five to ten hours of instruction to prepare and be to be in sync for the day of the party.
The “surprise” dance portion of the quinceañera is optional, but is the most fun part. The open floor dancing follows, where the guests are invited to do free style dancing.











