Quinceañera The transition from childhood to womanhood is a significant passage for adolescent girls in almost all cultures. In México, Latin America and the Caribbean, it is marked with the celebration of the Quinceañera, or 15th Birthday. The celebration is a way to acknowledge that a yound woman has reached maturity and is praised for her level-headed decision of keeping her virtues and chasity intact until she is ready to marry. The most important component of the celebration is invariably a misa de acción de gracias (Thanksgiving Mass.) The birthday girl aarives in a fancy full-lenth dress-frills, pastel tones and matiching hats or headdresses prevail. she is specially easted at the foot of the altar throughout the service. She is accompanied by up to fifteen damas (maid of honor) and fifteen chamberlains, selected from among close family and friends. At the end of mass the quinceañera deposits her bouquet on the altar or in a niche honoring the Virgin Marry. The quinceañera traditionally has the option of further celebrating the occasion with either a viaje (a trip) to Europe or a fiesta (birthday bash). Nowadays young women of all social strata generally opt for the party complete with live band music. The degree of (opulence) extravagance of the event is directly related to the economic means of the girl's parents and godparents. To cover the multiple expenses, a host of padrinos and madrinas may be invited to sponsor, respectively the dress, the music, the locale, the bar, the cake and the table favors. While the lively tunes of salsa, merengue, cumbia tend to dominate throughout the event, the culminating moment comes when the festejada (the celebrant) and her number one chambelán (escort) dance to a traditional waltz. This Culminating moment in our tradition of the Quinceañera is what we have brought to share with you tonight.