Erika Betancourt, Charger Staff
Quince anos is a Hispanic tradition that every fifteen year old girl can’t
wait for this special day to come.
This day is special because the Hispanic families throw a big party for their
fifteen year old daughter , who is changing into a woman and leaving her adolescence
behind. It takes at least one month to get the party organized.
The young girl must find at least four escorts to accompany her to the church
and to dance the waltz with her. The Quinceniera, the sweet fifteen year old
girl, wears a big dress; it can be any color she wants. The escorts wear tuxedos,
which will be any color the Quinceniera wants them to wear.
It is also a tradition that the Quinceniera must have a special Mass only for
her family and friends. This mass is celebrated to give thanks to God for allowing
the daughter to become a woman. After the religious ceremony, all the people
that attend the mass at the church head to the party.
There is a special dinner given to the party guests, and there is also music
for dancing. After the guests finish eating, the Quinceniera enters to start
dancing her waltz, accompied by her escorts.
The Quinceniera dances two waltzes. The first one is her entrance to her party,
and the next one is her waltz with her escorts. On the last dance the Quinceniera
must change her clothes.
There is a traditional waltz, that the whole family and godparents dance with
her, each one takes a turn to dance with her. When this traditional waltz ends,
the Quinceniera is crowned the queen of the night.
She also receives her last doll, because she is no longer an adolescent, but a woman. This day is really memorable to the Quinceaniera because only once will she turn fifteen.
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