A waltz is traditionally performed by a quinceañera and her court at the reception.
The formal dance is often called the vals, the Spanish word for waltz. The honoree and her attendants rehearse a choreographed routine, which may begin with a traditional ballroom pattern and then shift into popular music or other dance styles. The performance is one of the most recognizable entertainment traditions associated with a quinceañera.
The waltz has historical links to European courtly and ballroom traditions. In quinceañera celebrations, it became part of a formal presentation of the young woman to family and community. The dance does not have to remain strictly classical: contemporary routines may include Latin dance, pop, hip-hop, or regional styles.
A waltz is different from the entire reception dance program. Guests may dance many styles afterward, but the formal court presentation is conventionally identified with the vals or waltz.