The dance style traditionally associated with a quinceañera’s formal entrance and court performance is the waltz. The dance is often called a vals in Spanish.
A choreographed waltz may be performed by the quinceañera with members of her court of honor. Depending on the family’s customs, the court can include friends, relatives, or a combination of young women and young men. The performance is usually rehearsed before the party.
The waltz tradition reflects the formal-dance style that became associated with elite European balls and later with ceremonial celebrations in the Americas. Quinceañera events adapted that style into a family-centered coming-of-age ritual.
Modern celebrations are flexible. A family may add contemporary pop, regional Latin music, hip-hop, or other dances after the traditional waltz. Therefore, the waltz is a customary element, not a requirement for every quinceañera.