A traditional quinceañera court can include 14 attendants, representing the 14 years before the honoree’s fifteenth birthday.
The court commonly consists of damas, or young women, and chambelanes, or young men. A frequently described arrangement is seven damas and seven chambelanes, although families may choose different numbers or a court made up of only one gender.
The court accompanies the honoree during formal entrances, photographs, rehearsals, and choreographed dances. The arrangement is a customary format rather than a universal rule, so modern celebrations often simplify it.
The number 14 is sometimes confused with the honoree herself. In the traditional format, the 14 attendants join the quinceañera to create a ceremonial group of 15 people, marking the milestone associated with the celebration.