Dancing at a quinceañera is a time-honored tradition. In addition to the father-daughter dance and the waltz, most quinces include a surprise dance typically performed by the birthday girl and her court of damas and chambelanes. Use your heritage, interests, and skills to find the perfect surprise dance routine for your special day.
Explore your roots
Music is an important part of Latin American culture. When choosing a style for the surprise dance at your quinceañera celebration, embrace your roots and pay tribute to your heritage with an exciting Latin dance routine.
Cumbia
If your roots lie in Colombia or Central America, try the cumbia. Traditional cumbia started out as a courting dance and isn’t too hard to catch onto.
? Hire a Latin band to your surprise dance song live at your quinceañera.
Salsa
The fiery Salsa dance originated in Cuba and may be the perfect fit for your passionate Cuban background! This dance is visually exciting with colorful dresses and spirited moves.
? Take your surprise dance to the next level with a live salsa band performance.
Ranchera
For traditional girls whose families migrated from Mexico, the ranchera is a great choice. Ranchera performances are often accompanied by mariachi music and carry themes of love and patriotism.
? For an authentic ranchera quinceañera dance, booking a mariachi band is a must!
Merengue
The merengue is often noted as the “Dance of the Dominican” so Dominican Republic girls, take note! This is one of the easiest Latin dances to learn because steps are always taken with each beat of music.
?Shimmy and shake to the lively beats of a merengue band at your quinceañera.
Do what you love
If you want to take a step away from tradition, try looking at your interests instead. Consider what excites you, whether it be a type of dance you’ve always wanted to learn or a style of music you love dancing to in your bedroom.
Ballroom
If you love watching couples spin around the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars, perhaps a ballroom routine would be a great choice for your quinceañera surprise dance. Since you’re already doing the waltz, you can do something fun for the surprise dance portion like swing, the cha-cha, or the tango.
? Perform your ballroom quince dance to beautiful classical music from a string quartet.
Country
If you’re a country girl at heart, there are plenty of exciting options for your surprise dance routine. Line up with your court for a square dance or two-step. Add some fringe, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots, and you’re all set.
? No country dance would be complete without live music from a real country band.
Hip Hop
If you love scrolling through TikTok to watch popular dancers like Niana Gurrero and the Williams Family, perhaps a hip-hop routine is the way to go. Gather your court and get to poppin’ and lockin’ to one of your favorite songs. Don’t forget to dress in coordinating outfits!
? Hire a DJ to present the surprise dance and make sure your playlist is on point.
Learn the moves
Think about both your and your court’s skill level when planning the surprise dance routine for your quinceañera. Not only can that affect the style you choose, but it will also determine the best way to learn and prepare for the performance.
Teach yourself
If you and your friends are always mastering popular TikTok dances, you may be able to learn a routine on your own. Use inspiration from those videos and other dance combos you’ve tried to come up with choreography. Otherwise, search YouTube for surprise quince dance ideas in your chosen style and practice mimicking the moves.
Ask a pro
If you don’t have the skills to teach yourself or you’d just prefer to have a professional take the reins, you can hire a choreographer. Many instructors have experience in all types of dance including ballroom, hip-hop, and Latin styles. Share your ideas and show them videos of how you want the surprise dance to go, and they’ll take it from there.
? Pro tip: Schedule dance classes when you and your whole court can all be present at the same time.
Organizing the surprise dance is one of the most exciting parts of the quinceañera party planning, so have some fun with it! Focus on celebrating with your friends and family and just have a good time. ?
Megan is the Director of Customer Experience at GigSalad and has gained 9+ years of insight on what makes a great event on both sides of the booking process. Her favorite things include books, true crime podcasts, coffee, hiking, puns, and making people laugh.