A Quinceañera is one of the most
memorable events for a Teen Latina
Quinceañera, also called quinceaños or
quince años or simply quince, the celebration
of a girl’s 15th birthday, marking her passage
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from girlhood to womanhood.
Quinceañera, also called quinceaños or quince años or
simply quince, the celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday, marking
her passage from girlhood to womanhood; the term is
also used for the celebrant herself. The quinceañera is both a
religious and a social event that emphasizes the importance
of family and society in the life of a young woman. It is celebrated
in Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well
as in Latino communities in the United States and elsewhere.
The celebration begins with a mass attended by the girl
and her family and godparents. Mass is followed by a reception,
or party, to which friends and relatives are invited. The
reception features food, music, and dancing, with the girl
accompanied by her “court” of damas (“maids of honour”)
and chambelánes (“chamberlains”). Symbolic actions may include
the presentation of a doll to a younger sister, to show
that the celebrant is giving up her childhood, and the placement
of heeled shoes on her feet, to indicate that she is ready
for womanhood.
Traditionally, the dance portion of the quince includes
a choreographed waltz-type dance that is prepared and is
considered one of the main events of the evening. Toasts are
often offered, and sometimes the cutting of a fancy cake is
also involved. The celebration is generally as elaborate as
the means of the family will allow. Although the quince ob-
marriage, the modern celebration is more likely to signal the
beginning of formal dating. Some girls choose a trip abroad
rather than a party, and others now choose not to celebrate
their 15th birthday in the traditional manner. Like many other
rites and ceremonies, quinceañeras continue to evolve.
Because the Aztec and Maya also had such rite-of-passage
customs, it is thought that the quinceañera may have
originated in the admixture of Spanish culture (including
Roman Catholicism) with that of the indigenous peoples the
Spaniards colonized.
FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE 813.682.9364 JULY 2019 • 13