What is a Quinceanera
When a girl from a Latin American background turns 15, she reaches an important breakpoint in her life. In many Latin American countries, including the Dominican Republic, girl’s 15th birthday symbolizes the end of childhood and start of adulthood. Starting with her 15th birthday, a girl becomes a woman. It’s an important day in the lives of Latino women and they celebrate it with a bang. This celebration – which is known as a Quinceanera (La Quiceañera in Spanish, also sometimes abbreviated into Quinces) is only second in grandeur to a wedding.
What is a Quinceanera
To use western analogy, a Quinceanera is akin to a Sweet Sixteen Party, only Hispanic women celebrate it a year earlier – when they turn 15, rather than 16. Fiesta Quinceañera is not just another birthday party. It is far more grandiose, elaborate and showy.
Quinceanera in the Dominican Republic, Photo: Jose Kevo, Flickr
Quinceanera is a very religious celebration (see paragraph about Quinceanera and Virginity below) and is strongly honored among the Catholic population. Most communities in Latin America are deeply religious and if parents are Catholic, there is a very strong probability that their daughter will have a Quinceanera for her 15th birthday.
Quinceanera and Virginity
If you trace the celebration of Quinceanera back through history, you’ll find out that its original purpose was for parents of a young woman to celebrate the honor of having a 15 year old who’s still a virgin. Quinceanera used to be reserved for girls who are celebrating their 15th birthday AND have maintained their virginity.
However as with many other customs of old, Quinceanera is not what it used to be and nowadays it’s not unusual to see girls who already have kids at a tender age of 15 throwing their own Quinceaneras. The only tricky part would be to find a priest who would be willing to perform the ceremony despite the girl’s impurity. Other than that, it is unlikely a girl who’s not a virgin anymore would encounter any problems setting up her own Quinceanera.
Can Guys Have Quinceañeras?
While Fiesta Quinceañera is primarily a girls’ celebration, and is primarily about the girls, it is not unusual to also see boys celebrating one of their own. Unlike female Quinceaneras, males’ Quinceaneras are not as opulent and flashy and are often held just for the sake of having a party, rather than to uphold the ages old tradition with its rites and proceedings.
Quinceanera Traditions
Traditional Quinceaneras involve 14 pairs of guests known as the Court of Honor, who accompany the birthday girl (Quinceanera) and her Court (The Man of Honor). Like in a wedding, the Quinceanera has the most beautiful dress and is a center of attention. The Court of Honor consists of people chosen by the Quinceanera. They are usually people who mean something to her – closest friends, siblings, cousins, etc. Females of the Court of Honor, whose purpose is similar to that of bridesmaids in a wedding, are called damas and their male counterparts are chambelanes.
A Quinceanera Takes Her Photos in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Photo: Ulises Jorge, Flickr
The Quinceanera celebration would traditionally begin with a mass in a local Catholic church. To have the memories captured on camera, after the church the party usually heads straight for a park (or photo studio) to take pictures. A reception is then held at the family’s house or a banquet hall which is where the festivities, which include food, drink and music take place.
Quinceanera Dance
Traditionally, Quinceañeras perform a choreographed waltz (special dance) for the audience to open the reception. To start the dance, the Quinceanera would dance with her male escort who then passes her to her father with whom she finishes the waltz.
The Dominican Republic Quinceaneras
It is very common for the Dominican girls turning 15 to celebrate the Quinceanera. This tradition is well established and never missed. Similarly to other Latin American countries, the Quinceaneras in the Dominican Republic start with a mass in the Catholic Church where birthday girl receives blessings.
Traditionally, the reception part of the Dominican Republic Quinceaneras is kicked off with a choreographed waltz. Guests are treated to a buffet with abundance of drinks and in order to keep the mood up, live band is booked to perform throughout the reception. Invited guests traditionally sign an album as a reminder of their presence at the party and when an opening dance is over, all eyes turn to the Quinceanera who will cut the traditional cake of fifteen years. These cakes are very elaborate and are nothing short of works of art.
Quinceanera Video
The video below is a summary of the best moments from a Quinceanera celebration in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The quality of the video is not much, but it shows nicely how the entire tradition of celebrating the Quinceanera progresses from start to finish, including the tradition of changing shoes which involves the removal of flat bottom shows to change them for high heels. This tradition symbolizes what Quinceanera is all about – a transformation from a little girl to a young lady:
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