Quinceañera
Encyclopedia
Quinceañera sometimes called "Fiesta de quince años", "Fiesta de Quinceañera", "Quince años" or simply "quince", is the celebration of a girl
Girl
A girl is any female human from birth through childhood and adolescence to attainment of adulthood. The term may also be used to mean a young woman.-Etymology:...

's fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages  – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...

 and elsewhere in communities of immigrants from Latin America. This birthday is celebrated differently from any other birthday, as it marks the transition from childhood
Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...

 to young womanhood. The celebration, however, varies significantly across countries, with celebrations in some countries taking on, for example, more religious overtones than in others.

Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

In Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay the celebration (which is never referred to as a quinceañera but as a fiesta de quince) begins with the arrival of the teenager, wearing a special dress, and generally accompanied by her father. The location, if indoors, commonly has its entrance specially adorned for the occasion. The father and daughter duo make their entry through this front-door entrance at the sound of music, while friends and relatives customarily give the father flowers (usually roses). After this, the ceremony of the waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...

 begins, in which the girl dances with all her friends and relatives.
Normally the ball is divided into segments, between which the various dishes are served.
The following order of events represents a typical program:
  1. Entrance, which is usually accompanied by slow songs
  2. Waltz
  3. Entree
  4. First period of dancing
  5. Main meal course
  6. Second period of dancing
  7. Dessert and video playback of the recorded birthday with her friends (the latter is optional)
  8. 15-candle ceremony (Optional)
  9. Third period of dancing
  10. Toast, Cake cutting, and a ritual where each female friend/relative pulls a ribbon out of a bunch. The ribbons all have charms on the ends except for one which has a ring.
  11. Carnival-style dance

The ceremony of the 15 candles

In this ceremony the birthday girl delivers fifteen candles to people who she considers were most influential in her development during her fifteen years. It is often accompanied by a speech, usually dedicated to each of the people that are given candles. This ceremony is also known as the Tree of Life. The 15 candles symbolize the 15 years the girl has "left behind". Each of the candles symbolizes a special memory, a moment shared with any person who is invited to join the ritual.

Cuba

In Cuba, the party may include a choreographed group dance, in which 14 couples waltz around the quinceañera, who is accompanied by one of the main dancers, a boy of her choice, her boyfriend or friends of rights. The choreography often includes four or six dancers or escorts called experts, who are allowed to dance around the quinceañera. They are usually inexperienced dancers whose function is to highlight the central couple. The male dancers are also allowed to wear tuxedos in different colors.
Fifteenth birthday celebrations were very popular in Cuba until the late 70s. This practice partly entered Cuba via Spain, but the greatest influence was the French. The wealthy families who could afford to rent expensive dining rooms in private clubs or hotels of four and five stars were the real precursors of quinceañeras, which they called quinces. These celebrations usually took place in the house of the girl or the more spacious house of a relative.
Although this is a tradition that is still practiced today in Latin America and Hispanic communities in North America, we sometimes tend to focus more on the wishes of the quinceañera.

Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic this celebration is very traditional and common. It begins with a Mass in the Catholic Church to receive the blessing of God and give thanks for another year of life. At the birthday party the birthday girl makes her entrance to the place of the party (usually an estate, a ballroom, a nightclub, hotel or home of the teenager) accompanied by 14 additional pairs of guests, which together with the teenager's own are 15 pairs of people total. Usually quinceañera wears a bright color dress and the other couples wear long dresses (ladies) and suits and ties (the young men) which are often brightly colored. They are never to overshadow the birthday girl's dress which is the main focal point of the celebration. Almost immediately the quinceañera birthday girl dances the waltz with her partner who usually waltzes in the middle and passes her to the hands of her father to finish the waltz.
It is customary for the quinceañera girl and couples escorts to perform several choreographed dances, which may include rhythms like merengue, pop, salsa, etc..
It is customary to serve a buffet and some drinks during the celebration. As the party favors or memories are given to the guests, the traditional album is signed by invited guests to record their presence at the party.
One of the main attractions in the Dominican Republic is the traditional cake of fifteen years, which usually becomes a cake of immense size and beauty, as they use very colorful designs to decorate it. The cake is cut shortly after the dancing.
Traditionally the participation of an artist or band in the celebration of the feast is customary to bring it to life and give a musical touch.

Mexico

In Mexico, the birthday girl, known as the Quinceañera, is made-up with elegant makeup. Traditionally, this would be the first time she was to wear makeup, however this is usually no longer the case. The Quinceañera is also expected to wear a formal evening dress. Traditionally, the dress worn by the Quinceañera to this event is an evening ball gown
Ball gown
A ball gown is worn for ballroom dancing and only the most formal social occasions according to rules of etiquette. It is traditionally a full-skirted gown reaching at least to the ankles, made of luxurious fabric, delicately and exotically trimmed. Most versions are cut off the shoulder with...

.
In the Mexican tradition - considering the teenager is Catholic - the Quinceañera celebration begins with a Thanksgiving mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...

. For this mass, the teenager wears a formal dress. Conventionally, the Quinceañera wore a pink dress to symbolize her purity; however, in recent decades, white has become the color of preference to symbolize this treasured quality. If the Quinceañera chooses, she may wear a white dress with personalized touches, including embroidery, pearls, sequins, or any other adjustment that would best reflect her sense of fashion. She arrives to the celebration accompanied by her parents, godparents, and court of honor. The court of honor is a court of her chosen peers made up of paired off girls and boys, respectively known as "damas" and "chambelanes." Typically, there are fourteen or seven pairs "damas" and "chambelanes," which each literally translate to dames and chamberlains. At this religious mass, a rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...

, or sometimes a necklace with a locket
Locket
A locket is a pendant that opens to reveal a space used for storing a photograph or other small item such as a curl of hair. Lockets are usually given to loved ones on holidays such as Valentine's Day and occasions such as Christenings, weddings and, most noticeably during the Victorian Age,...

 or pendant
Pendant
A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, when the ensemble may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. In modern French "pendant" is the gerund form of “hanging”...

 depicting the image of Mexico's patron saint the Virgin of Guadalupe, is awarded to the teenager by her godparent
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...

s, such necklace having been previously blessed by the church clergy. She is also awarded a tiara
Tiara
A tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...

. The symbolism behind the tiara is to serve as a reminder that to her loved ones, especially her immediate family, the Quinceañera will always be a princess, however some also see it as denoting she is a "princess" before God and the world. After this, the girl may leave her bouquet of flowers on the altar for the Virgin Mary.

After the Thanksgiving mass, guests gather for a reception where the remaining celebratory events meant to honor the Quinceañera will take place, including the rendering of gifts. This reception may be held at the Quinceañera's home, at an events room, such as a dining hall, banquet hall, or casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...

, or in some cases publicly held, similar to a block party
Block party
A block party is a large public party in which many members of a single neighbourhood congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which often involves closing an entire city block to vehicle traffic...

. During the reception, the birthday girl usually dances a traditional waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...

 with her "Chambelan de Honor," which is her chosen escort, and her court of honor. Many times this section of the celebration is previously practiced and/or choreographed, oftentimes weeks in advance, sometimes even with months of anticipation. Generally, the reception is made-up of six different parts:
  1. The formal entry- A grand entrance by the Quinceañera made once most guests have been sitted.
  2. The formal toast
    Toast (honor)
    A toast is a ritual in which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill. The term may be applied to the person or thing so honored, the drink taken, or the verbal expression accompanying the drink. Thus, a person could be "the toast of the evening," for whom someone "proposes a toast"...

     - An optional but usual part of the reception generally initiated by the parents or godparents of the birthday girl.
  3. The first dance- Usually a waltz where the girl first dances with the father.
  4. The family dance - Usually a waltz involving just the immediate relatives, closest friends of the girl, the "chamberlanes", and the godparents.
  5. The general dance - Also usually a waltz, where everyone dances to a musical waltz tune.
  6. The preferred song - Any modern song particularly preferred by the Quinceañera is played and danced.


Traditionally, Mexican girls could not dance in public until they turned fifteen, except at school dances or at family events. Therefore, the Quincenera's waltz with the chamberlanes is the girl's first public dance ever. Other acts that may take place during the reception include a custom called "La Ultima Muñeca"(The Last Doll). This is based on a Maya
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...

 tradition and it is related to the birthday girl's receipt and renouncement of the doll. It makes reference to the last such toy in her life since, after the Quinceañera event, the girl is now coming closer to adult life and eventually to marriage. Another custom that is practiced is one involving the changing of shoes. During this portion of the reception, the teenager's father changes her flat or low-heeled shoes to high-heeled shoes, symbolizing, again, the girl's passage into maturity.

Once all symbolic gestures have taken place, the dinner is commenced. At this point, the celebration reaches its high point: contracted musical groups being playing music, keeping guest entertained. The music is played while the guests dine, chat, mingle, and dance.

The next morning the family and closest friends may also attend a special breakfast, especially if they are staying with the family. Sometimes what is known as a recalentado (re-warming) takes place, in which any food not consumed during the event of the night before is warmed again, for a brunch type event.

Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela

In Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, the quince starts with the arrival of the teenager, accompanied by her father, who is then received by her mother and other relatives and friends. Then father and daughter dance a waltz, and other tunes. The quinceañera birthday girl will dance with her brothers (if any) and their uncles and godparents. Then she performs the paso doble and the waltz with all members of the procession (optional dance then any other music, merengue, pop, etc.).
For this occasion the teenager wears an evening dress in light colors or pastels, is dressed and made up slightly, usually places a tiara in her hair and jewels on her neck and hands.
All the guests dressed in formal attire, including the teenager's friends of the same age.
After the original dance, the choreography begins with a set up by the teenager and her friends. After that, the festival begins with music from live bands, some famous artiste, DJs, food, drink, and at one point of the night -usually late- a "crazy hour" is carried out, in which the attendants wear masks or funny wigs and make noise with whistles and rattles while fast-tempo music is played.
It is optional to make some surprise dance performed by the quinceañera birthday girl (alone or accompanied), and also a dance that will give away her friends, cousins, etc.

See also

  • Bar and Bat Mitzvah
  • Confirmation
  • Débutante balls
    Debutante
    A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...

  • Las Mañanitas
    Las Mañanitas
    Las Mañanitas is a traditional Mexican birthday song sung in many Latin American countries at birthday parties, usually sung before eating cake and especially as part of the custom of serenading unmarried women. The tradition of the song can be tracked back to 1896 in the mexican city Zacatecas...

  • Philippine Debut
    Philippine Debut
    The Philippine Debut is a cultural tradition of the Filipino people. It is a coming-of-age celebration for Philippine women that is somewhat reminiscent of the Latin American "Quinceañera" celebration. The difference between the Quinceanera and the Philippine Debut is the age at which the...

  • Rite of passage
    Rite of passage
    A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....

  • Sweet Sixteen
    Sweet sixteen (birthday)
    A sweet sixteen party is a type of birthday party in the United States celebrating a sixteenth birthday, Sweet sixteen parties mark a coming of age.- Types of sweet sixteen party :...

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