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'