Hola chicas,

One of my favorite parts of quinceañera is the father/daughter dance. I love the tradition of having the proud papa take his hija's hand and inviting her to share a waltz, symbolizing his recognition that she is now a lady. This could bring some happy tears to your guests--I know my mom cried during mine! So take the time to plan out this dance in great detail. You'll remember it forever. Here are some tips for making it memorable:

• Make sure you rehearse. I would recommend between three and six hours. This dance won't be as complicated as your court waltz, so you won't need to stress about it, but if don't rehearse at all, you might be nervous!
• Incorporate sweet touches with cuddles, twirls, and send-outs. Everyone will be watching you, so make it fun to watch!
• Mix it up with stationary and traveling moves. Don't be afraid to use the floor space you have.
• Have a dip or twirl to lean into a bow and curtsey in the end. Putting a nice final touch on the dance will leave the lasting impression. Maybe even give your papa a kiss on the cheek. (Just make sure your lipstick doesn't stain!)

What might even be more important than your dance steps, chicas, is the song you choose. Make sure to pick one that you love! Some good ones are "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle, "Have I Told You Lately" by Rod Stewart, "My Father's Eyes" by Amy Grant, and "You're My Hero" by Teresa James. Check out other songs on our playlist here.

I love this video on YouTube, below. The birthday girl chose "When You Look Me in the Eyes" by the Jonas Brothers, and says the song choice is what really made such a special moment even better. She and her father look well-rehearsed and are entertaining. Most importantly, they look like they are enjoying themselves. It's a big night for both of you.

If you think you're going to be the dancing queen at your quinceañera, you might want to test out your skills on our new game first! Dancing Queen is a virtual dance floor where you follow beats with your fingers, using the computer keyboard. Play around with the levels to see just how good your rhythm is.

It's like Guitar Hero for dance. Don't be worried if you don't do well in the beginning—I got a D!!—because your skills will definitely improve as you get the hang of it.

So, go play and then let us know -- what do you think of the new game?!

Can you imagine belly flopping onto your quinceañera cake? Leave it to Katy Perry to do just that during her quince-themed performance at Los Premios (Latin America's version of the VMAs) last Thursday in Guadalajara, Mexico. Did you see it? If not, watch below!

I thought Katy's stunt was hilarious! She could've used a bit more practice though. All covered in buttery, sugary hot pink frosting, she slips and slides on the stage. The audience can't stop laughing as Katy flips and flops despite her guitarist's helping hand, until she is dragged off stage. If any of you plan on jumping into a cake at your quince, I would suggest practicing first, and maybe ask your mom...haha.

Have you ever seen a quince girl do something silly or crazy at her party to make everyone laugh? Dígame, por favor!

Besos,
Mariana

A traditional waltz may be what everyone expects at your quinceañera, but I found this YouTube video where birthday girl Moriah shakes things up. Using a mix including Bubba Sparxx's "Miss New Booty," Chris Brown's "Run It," Fergie's "My Humps," Nelly's "Grillz," and Dem Franzhize's "Lean with It, Rock with It," Moriah choreographed a dance that was meant to be different and fun for her friends to do together.

At my quinceañera, I chose a traditional waltz, but it's fun to see how creative some girls get. I love that the girls are barefoot -- very fun and relaxed. I also like that the boys are wearing white hats and the girls are wearing black, except for Moriah who is in white, so it's obvious who the main attraction is.

For your quinceañera, you should do whatever makes you happy. You are, after all, the birthday girl, and if a traditional dance isn't what you envision, you can create something else memorable and fun. It's like that show "Rock the Reception" on TLC. Have you heard of it? The bride and groom do a first dance -- to the tunes of "Thriller" and "Baby Got Back," for example -- and shock their guests!

What do you think? Would you try something crazy for your quinceañera, or would you prefer keeping things more traditional? You could even start with a waltz and change the music to your favorite modern song halfway through, and go into a more upbeat dance. That will surprise your friends and family and definitely leave an unforgettable impression.

Besos,
Alicia

Did you chicas see the new video with Wilmer Valderrama on MisQuinceMag.com? He talks about when he was a chambelán for a friend's quince. Did he totally mess up or did the future actor show he can really salsa? You'll have to watch the clip below to find out!

I'm so used to seeing Wilmer playing Fez on "That '70s Show," in his bell bottoms and crazy print shirts. But he's wearing a race car driver outfit here because he was competing in the the Toyota Celebrity Grand Prix in April of this year.

Which celebrity do you wish would be a chambelán in your quince or sweet 16 court?

¿Qué tal? How many of you are planning on doing a traditional waltz? Are you totally stressed on how to do it perfectly? Check out this video, where the entire court and the quinceañera are introduced during the dance. We messaged the choreographer, Linda, on YouTube. She replied with some great tips for you! And have no fear -- Linda said the court learned this waltz in one day!

TIPS:

• Make sure to include the bow and curtsy.
  
• Recognize each chambelan by dancing with him as his name is announced. The chambelán de honor should go last.
• Add flowers to the routine to make it extra fancy. A simple twirling in and out while holding roses will do the trick.
  
• Present the damas by having them curtsy alongside their chambelán, who escorts them toward the quince girl. Each dama gives her rose to you as she leaves the floor.
  
• The main attraction is YOU, the birthday girl, so keep yourself at the center of attention throughout the dance for both the waltz and the surprise dance.

I like how the damas and chambelanes were introduced separately, don't you? At my quince, we introduced them in pairs, but since they're not actually couples in real life, I think the individual attention is nice. How 'bout you?

These chicos did! On YouTube, I found this video of a court that didn't know how to dance, but they hired a choreographer and learned an awesome routine in only a week! The song was "Bendita tu luz" de Mana y Juan Luis Guerra.

I really like how the quince girl is hidden in the middle at first, and then the court steps aside and lets her steal the spotlight. All the couples are really in sync too with their spins and steps. Plus, the chambelanes toss their hats, adding some fun and personality. My only suggestion is that after your dance is over, you and your court should all take a bow or curtsy, rather than just break up on the dance floor.

What do you think?

I just got back from my cousin’s quince in Dallas, and I must say, the dancing was muy fabuloso! I was super impressed by her chambelanes' dance moves. I know there is no way I could have gotten the boys in my court to move like that. (No offense, chicos, but we all know how lazy and immature you can be sometimes!) So imagine my surprise when my prima told me that she completely agreed, and she decided to not have any of her guy friends be chambelanes in her court.

So who were these mystery boys burning up the dance floor at my cousin’s quince? They were professional quinceañera dancers known as “cadets”!

Apparently, hiring all-male dance crews to replace chambelanes is Dallas’ hottest quince trend. The cadets, who get their names from the U.S. Marine uniforms they wear, spend several days before the quinceañera practicing entrance and dance routines with the quince girl.

It costs anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 to hire 7-14 cadets, but to some, it’s worth it. You'll also get to choose your dancers. My cousin said she picked the cutest ones!

Here’s a video of the Latin Boys of Fort Worth cadet dance crew performing at the All Saints Expo:

Latin Boys of Fort Worth Cadets

Don’t they look guapisimo in those Marine uniforms? Learn more about cadets by reading this article in the Dallas Morning News.

Would you consider hiring cadets or professional dancers to perform in your quinceañera?

Hi MisQuinceMag,

I am currently touring the Six Flags Great Adventures Tour, opening up for Mario and Chris Brown all over the country to help promote my new album! I have to tell you that it ain't easy -- living away from my family, living from suitcases, going to planes at 6 in the morning to get to the next city to do sound check, then the live show, then to go to an after-hours place to leave the club at 2 a.m. to wake up again at 5am to get to the airport at 6am!

Day after day, I eat all the wrong food, 'cause the record label schedules your every waking minute, but they don't schedule food breaks or sleep! So we eat on the run and sleep on the planes and limos, as we hustle to the next show! Now it might sound like I am complaining, but I really am. LOL!!! It isn't all glitz and glory. There is a grind that continues daily. We have to sneak in all types of interviews, radio appearances, and then make time to pee. LOL! I am so busy that my manager has to make breaks in the schedule or we get on the buses squeezing our legs LOL!

But then, that one fan hugs you and says some of the best things any soul could ever hear, and it's all worth it. Knowing that some people look up to me, a Latino with a little education, and say I am an inspiration makes it all worthwhile. When a girl fan just starts to cry cause I walked into a "meet and greet," when guys say that they love my music, when grownup's say that I set a good example, when I look into your eyes and you smile this real warmhearted smile that says "I LOVE YOU," it makes all the grind seem so little in comparison. Last but not least, when I walk onto that stage and everyone sings along with me, it's all worth the sacrifice. Thank you for those special memories, one and ALL.

LOVE,

COLBY O'DONIS

Hola chicas! I wanted to share my latest find with you, because it's perfect for recording your quince dances and uploading them to YouTube. Have you heard of the Flip camera? It's a pocket-sized video cam that you use with the touch of one button, and it has a USB connector to easily upload to the web. The cameras with 60 minutes of memory list for $150, but you can find them cheaper on amazon.com.

I checked out reviews of the RCA Small Wonder Pocket Cams, but they weren't so hot. Apparently image quality is poor. The Creative Vado camera is really sleek looking and has a bigger screen, but Laptop magazine wrote that the video quality isn't as good as the Flip. Kodak is launching its own itty-bitty camera called the Zi6 in September, which will cost $180, but it might be worth the extra bucks because it records in high-definition. There's already a high-definition video cam called DXG-567V that's selling for $120 on amazon.com now and getting good reviews.

Do you guys record video of dances at quinces or at your own dance rehearsals? What kind of camera do you use? Don't forget to show off your videos with us on Mis Quince's YouTube page!

Hi MisQuinceMag!

I was honored by Power 106 and E-Man when I opened for The Game, LIL WAYNE, Chris Brown, and Ice Cube at PowerHouse '08 in the Los Angeles Anaheim Arena in June. There were over 20,000 people, and I have to admit it was terrific hearing everyone sing back my song. AKON surprised everyone when he walked on stage and did his part live with Kardinal Offishall, singing “Dangerous.”

We rocked the house! It was so wonderful that I got a little emotional backstage. You know the good watery-eye feeling? Nobody ever will know how many things I sacrificed to get to that moment and everybody singing along with me really touched my soul. It was an affirmation that I finally hit my first home run. Someone said to me that I was a one hit wonder and if I am, all I can say is at least I have a HIT! LOL

LOVE,

COLBY O'DONIS

p.s. check out my video on Seventeen.com's YouTube page!

Hi MisQuinceMag!

I am so honored to help with the re-launching of The Baile Blog! That said, I want to share with you the story of the first quince party that I sang at. It was so breathtaking I didn't want to leave. All the girls were dressed to impressed and the guys were all in tuxes. It was like a mini wedding, and it must have cost at least $50,000 dollars. The quince girl was like eye candy -- I had to keep reminding myself that she just turned 15 LOL, because she was dressed as though she was 21!!! OMG, they had a 12-piece Mexican band that played my song, "What you got," featuring Akon. It was so good, and it was the first time I sang my song to a live band, and it was so cool. I saw why Spanish families have this tradition. It's their way of allowing the entire world to see how their beautiful flower has blossomed into womanhood.

Hola guapas! OK, so my BFF Lucía and I agree on practically everything when it comes to music. We are both totally obsessed with Kat Deluna and Julieta Venegas. We both think Enrique Iglesias is the hottest singer on the planet. Neither of us will ever get sick of listening to "Get Right" by fellow Nuyorican Jennifer Lopez.

But there is one thing we just don't see eye to eye on: the baile sorpresa. I think everyone in the court should be involved. Lucía thinks it's way better if it's just the quince girl and her chambelán. What do you think?

Lucía wanted all eyes to be on her so she did it without the court. For my quince, I included everyone because I thought a big performance would be more fun and energetic. Plus, I wanted my friends to be a part of it. What are you planning to do? Do you think that having your whole court participate steals your spotlight?

I made sure that no one stole my baile sorpresa thunder by changing my dress for it, while everyone else stayed in the same outfits. I made a special entrance and at the end of the song, everyone except my chambelán and I exited, so the two of us could do a finale. How else will you make sure you're the super-estrella of your surprise dance?

Hey Mis Quince readers! Alicia here, so excited to connect with you all on the new-and-improved Baile Blog! Along with mi amiga Mariana and occasionally a celebrity musician (!!), I'm going to be blogging about all things music & dance-related for your quince. Check back every week, twice a week, for new updates from us. We’re going to post music playlists from readers, tips from choreographers, and spotlight the coolest quince dance videos we find on YouTube and MySpace.

So, are you dying to know who the celebrity blogger is going to be? Well chicas, prepare yourself...it's COLBY O'DONIS!! Talk about having good looks AND talent -- the guy is only 19 and he's already signed to Akon's record label! His hit song, "What You Got," is one of the hottest tracks of the summer. I'm hearing it on the radio constantly. What I love about Colby is he proves that you can make your dreams come true -- even after tons of music executives told him no, he still fought for his dream, and look at him now. I can't wait for his debut album in September and what he has to say about quinces. Do any of you have similar dreams of making it in the music world?