The Quinceanera is a tremendous event in Latin culture, one rich with tradition and heritage. So much so that an outside visitor to the Quince celebration might feel overwhelmed by the terms and traditions.

What is a chambelane? Why does the girl change shoes at the fiesta? Why are there so many people in the court?

If you're planning to attend a Quinceanera but you're not sure what it means or why the celebration is important, read on.

The Quinceanera

A Quinceanera celebrates a Latina girl's fifteenth birthday, or quince anos - her official coming of age within her community. The Quinceanera, sometimes abbreviated to simply "Quince," is an ancient custom with its roots in Aztec fertility rites and European debutante balls. The traditional Quinceanera includes a Misa de Acción de Gracias, or Thanksgiving Mass, at her family's church. Following the Mass, the girl attends a fiesta in her honor.

The Quinceanera is second only to a woman's wedding day among important occasions. It's a time when the whole community celebrates.

The Quinceanera Mass

The Quince girl attends the Misa de Acción de Gracias accompanied by her parents, grandparents, and a special set of godparents chosen for the occasion (called padrinos). At the beginning of the Mass, the girl presents her ultima muneca, or last doll, and exchanges it for a bouquet of flowers, called el ramo. During the ceremony, the priest blesses several items including a new Bible, a rosary (rosario), a tiara, and a scepter.

The Quince girl receives the tiara and scepter from her grandmother, memorializing her arrival as a young woman. When the Mass is over she will sometimes leave the flowers on the church's altar as a prayer offering.

The Quinceanera Fiesta

The fiesta is a time to celebrate the occasion. The Quince girl may have up to several hundred guests in a party that lasts well into the night. Music plays a large role, as does dancing. Traditionally, the quince girl will first dance with her father after receiving her first pair of zapatillas, or heeled shoes. The second dance is for her honored escort, or chambelane de honor.

The honor court, or corte de honor, consists of the men and women who stand with the Quince girl at her fiesta. In modern times, it includes seven chambelanes, or escorts; and damas, or ladies. Combined with the quince girl, the court totals fifteen young men and women. In times past, all the damas would wear a different colored dress, achieving a rainbow effect. Modern gowns more closely coordinate with the quince girl's gown, much like brides and bridesmaids.

The quince girl's father will usually make a toast to her daughter's continued health and good fortune. The ultima muneca is also sometimes given to one of the younger girls present - often a younger sister or cousin. It is sometimes thrown in the air, as a wedding bouquet.

Finally, the quince girl and her parents will extend their thanks to the guests. While this was sometimes done to draw the celebration to a close, in modern times it is often performed near the beginning of the fiesta, while everyone is present.

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