EVANSVILLE, Ind. — “Crazy fun, a little stressful and so much happiness.”
That’s how Ashley Rubio described her quinceanera earlier this month.
A quinceanera is the Latin American celebration of a 15-year-old girl becoming a woman. It comes with many traditions, such as a big ball gown, changing of shoes to signify “stepping into womanhood,” and a father-daughter dance.
It’s similar to the United States’ “Sweet 16” tradition, but with vibrant colors, synchronized dancing, upbeat music and authentic Mexican food.
Rubio said they’d been planning her July 3 quinceanera for a year, but her parents have been saving money since she was little. Rubio was born in the U.S. but her parents Raul and Noemi emigrated here from Guanajuato, Mexico.
“My parents saved up money ever since I was 5 or 8 years old because no one really knows how much these actually cost,” Rubio said. “My parents really worked hard for this so I’m really grateful for them.”
The big day
She started her day early, getting hair and makeup done. Then she and her family headed to mass at Holy Rosary Catholic Church for blessings and faith.
The mariachi band played while her “court,” a group of friends, walked in wearing gold dresses and blue shawls. Rubio, meanwhile, was donned in a large royal blue dress with gold accents and gold shawl — an outfit she traveled to Chicago to get.
“I tried it on and I looked at myself in the mirror and I’m like, ‘This is the one I’m going to have,'” Rubio said. “I have kept the theme of (the colors) since I was young and it was the exact dress I wanted.”
After mass, she hopped into a limo with her court of nine friends and cousins to go to the celebration.
A montage of photos of Rubio spanning her life played on the screens on the side of the dance floor. As they danced their way into the building, the mariachi band played lively music.
Then came a lot of synchronized dancing. Rubio said they have been preparing the dances since April.
A member of the court, Rubio’s cousin Lesly Rosas, said she was nervous about all of the dances. But once they did the first one, it was “just fun” after that.
“It’s really about showing you’re growing up as a woman,” Rosas said.
Rosas is planning on having her quinceanera in November.
When the friends got to the celebration, everyone enjoyed a dinner of rice, beans, chicken, warm tortillas and more.
For family friend Karla Razor, it meant getting to immerse herself in the culture and meet new people.
Razor is from Honduras, so a lot of the traditions at the quinceanera and food are new to her. A lot of the traditions are only in Mexican culture, she said.
“It’s an opportunity to speak your language,” Razor said. “It’s all very unique.”
Stepping into womanhood
After the dancing, her grandmothers crowned Rubio with a tiara that had blue stones, matching her dress. The tiara is meant to symbolize the beauty of the young woman.
Next, her father Raul changed her white converse to glittery heels to signify stepping into womanhood.
She was handed the traditional last doll made to look like her to signify her growing up and moving on from toys. Then she slow-danced with her father until the mood shifted and the rapper Soulja Boy blasted through the speakers. Her father took of his suit jacket and they danced together.
Her mother, Noemi, then stepped in for a slow dance, too. There usually isn’t a mother-daughter dance at a quinceanera, but Rubio wanted one.
“I wanted to have a little moment with her,” Rubio said. “She didn’t have (a quinceanera) because her family back then was really poor and couldn’t afford one.”
A big pink present was brought out. Inside, Rubio found another box — and another box and another box — until she finally reached her present: an iPad.
She danced with several people at the party as the night wore on. Finally, though, it was time for another of the planned dances the court worked so hard on.
The girls changed clothes again and emerged in all black, dancing to Cardi B. Then came another outfit change for the performance of a dramatic dance with two boys in which one tried to give her a rose, but she declined and danced with the other boy instead.
Rubio and the women in her family danced to “Un Poco Loco” from the Disney movie “Coco” with traditional long, vibrant Mexican skirts.
They ended the night with everyone dancing together, smiling under the flashing lights above the dance floor.
Alexa Shrake can be reached by email at AShrake@gannett.com.
Credit: Source link
