Face the Music: Planning Your Quinceañera Musical Entertainment
by: Michael Kabel

Think about some of the parties you've been to before. What do you remember most about them? Was it the snacks or the food that was served? What you were wearing? How about the music that was playing?

The music at a party doesn't just provide amusement or something to dance to. Music sets a tone, or vibe, for the party's atmosphere. It's like how in the movies when something really important happens, they use music to help the audience understand the mood the characters are feeling. At your fiesta, music will help your audience to get in the celebrating spirit.

A wide variety of guests means a wide variety of music.

Your Quinceañera fiesta will last for hours, so you've got plenty of time to set the house rockin' and get every guest up on the dance floor. If you hire a DJ for the evening, make sure he has a broad selection of musical tastes and styles to choose from. Or, a live band should know how to play songs from many different types of music. As you shop around, ask for a performance tape or - better yet - a video of them performing to a similar audience. This will give you a good idea what to expect.

Remember that not everyone will have the same taste in music as you. Adults especially will probably like different styles, everything from tejano to jazz to heavy classic rock. Your musical program should include as much of those kinds of songs as you think appropriate.

Before the fiesta, you might take a sampling of everyone's music tastes as they RSVP their invitations.

Compile your playlist, then review it for balance.

Balance doesn't mean you have to play the same number of songs from all the different musical styles you want - far from it. Instead, it means you can figure out how much of each style you should play. If you think you and your friends will be doing most of the dancing, you should play the music you like best. If the adults are going to dance the night away, then they should get the lion’s share of the music.

For the first dance with your father, you should plan something traditional that you can both enjoy (you might even let him pick it.)

Make sure to mix it up.

In other words, don't play all rock, then all dance music, all hip-hop, and so on. Ask the DJ to play a broad rotation of musical styles, giving everyone a chance at different times of the evening. The key idea is rotation of the various styles.

Some people - particularly adults - are more comfortable dancing to slow numbers than to upbeat music. Getting in a few ballads, especially traditional ones, is a great way to take care of them, too.

Saving the last song.

You can save the last song at the fiesta to express exactly how you feel about the evening. The song could be traditional or modern, but a song is a lovely way to "clear the stage" at your party, and let everyone know the festivities have come to an end.