There’s a moment at every quinceañera when the room goes quiet. The lights dim, the music starts and every phone in the room goes up. That’s the dance. For most families it’s the moment guests remember most, and it’s also the part of quince planning that’s easiest to leave too late.
The good news is that a great quinceañera dance doesn’t take magic. It takes a plan. Here’s the timeline we walk our families through at Fairytale Dances, from the day you pick a date to the moment your daughter takes the floor.
8 to 12 months out: book your choreographer
Once you have a date and a venue, book your choreographer. We ask families to book quinceañera choreography 8 to 12 months in advance. That might sound early, but the earlier you book, the more choice you have for rehearsal days, and rehearsal days are what everyone in the court has to work around: school, sports, jobs and family schedules.
Booking early also takes one big worry off your plate. When the dance is handled, you can put your energy into the dress, the venue and everything else.
With us, a $400 non-refundable retainer holds your event date and your rehearsal dates. The rest of your package is split into two scheduled payments, so you aren’t paying it all at once.
6 to 10 months out: decide on your court
Next, figure out who will dance with your quinceañera. Some families have a full court of cousins and friends ready to go. Others find out that getting six or eight teenagers to commit to weeks of rehearsals is harder than it sounds.
This is where professional chambelanes and damas for hire can save the day. All of our chambelanes and damas are between 14 and 19 years old. They’re courteous, polished young dancers who train weekly at our studio, so you never have to stress about someone dropping out a month before the party. Our chambelán packages include suits and surprise dance outfits in different colors and variations, and you can still mix in your own damas if you’d like. Local chambelán packages start at $2,700.
Not sure which way to go? A mixed court works too: your daughter’s friends and family alongside our dancers.
3 to 4 months out: pick the music
Music shapes everything, so it’s worth getting right before rehearsals start. We strongly recommend that the quinceañera picks her own music. It’s her night, and the songs should reflect her vision and her theme. That’s also why no two of our routines are the same.
Here’s what to plan for:
- The waltz: Traditionally this is one song. Pick something elegant that means something to her, whether it’s a classic waltz, a ballad or a family favorite.
- The surprise dance: We ask for a minimum of 3 to 5 songs to choose from, and our choreography packages mix up to 4 songs into one surprise dance (chambelán packages mix up to 3). This is where the court gets to have fun and show some personality, so think about the energy you want: reggaetón, cumbia, pop, hip-hop or a little of everything.
- The entrance: Many families also want a choreographed grand entrance to set the tone for the night.
- Father-daughter dance: If this is part of your plans, add it to the list now. It’s an option in some of our packages.
Every one of our packages includes music editing, so you don’t have to worry about cutting songs or building the mix yourself.
2 to 3 months out: rehearsals begin
Rehearsals usually start 2 to 3 months before the event. With us they’re once a week and run 2 hours each. Depending on the package you pick, that’s anywhere from 5 to 11 practices.
Don’t worry if your daughter or her court has never danced before. The steps are taught at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels depending on the group’s experience, and we shape the choreography around what your court does best. A few tips that make rehearsals go smoothly:
- Treat rehearsal dates like appointments that can’t move. Every missed practice slows down the whole group.
- Wear comfortable clothes and practice shoes. Once the dress is ready, try some steps in it at home.
- Practice the waltz at home between rehearsals, even just walking through it in the living room.
The week of the event: venue rehearsal
The week of the party, we hold a venue rehearsal (if available), on the Friday of your event week. Practicing in the real space makes a big difference. The court learns where the entrance is, how much room they have and where the guests will be. Our larger packages also include help with your event timeline, or program, so the dances land at the right moments of the night.
The big day
With packages A, B and C, a choreographer or representative attends your event for up to two hours to make sure the court is ready and everything runs smoothly. By this point your daughter has practiced for weeks. All that’s left is to enjoy it.
Planning a quince outside Los Angeles?
We’re based in Santa Fe Springs and serve all of Los Angeles, but distance doesn’t have to stop you from working with us. Fairytale Dances has done events in 19 states plus Washington DC, from Texas and Florida to New York and North Carolina. Travel shifts the timeline a little:
- Choreography travel: A choreographer comes to you for 5 days of rehearsals, 3 to 4 hours each, and creates custom choreography with your court. It starts at $2,800 with all travel expenses included.
- Chambelán travel: Our chambelanes start on your dances 8 weeks before the event. We send weekly practice videos and check in on Zoom, and then the chambelanes join you in person for full-day rehearsals on the Thursday and Friday of the event week. It starts at $3,500 with all travel expenses included.
If you’re bringing our chambelanes, book before that 8-week mark. Learn more on our We Travel page.
Your quick quince dance checklist
- 8 to 12 months out: Book your choreographer and hold your date.
- 6 to 10 months out: Decide on your court and consider chambelanes for hire.
- 3 to 4 months out: Pick the waltz song and 3 to 5 surprise dance songs.
- 2 to 3 months out: Start weekly rehearsals.
- Event week: Venue rehearsal (if available).
- Event day: Enjoy the moment.
Let’s start planning your dance
Every quinceañera deserves a dance she’ll remember for the rest of her life, and the earlier you start, the easier it is. Whether you’re in Los Angeles or across the country, we’d love to help.
Call or text us at 323-715-4555 with your event date and city, or send us a message, and we’ll put together a custom quote for your family.
