- Thank you guys for contributing to this day.
Without you guys it wouldn't have been possible.
This is definitely my quinceañera come true.
I love you from the bottom of my heart.
(upbeat music)
- Hola, and welcome to Mi Quinceañera Come True!
The show show in which the Pero Like team helps a soon to be
quinceañera achieve her dream quince.
We wanted to highlight this next family,
because they had a tough few years,
and through it all Marlene has been a shining light
for her family.
I'm going to be helping out Marlene and her court
with some tips in dancing,
because yo soy professional.
I choreographed my sisters, okay?
- My name is Marlene, and I'm from Norwalk, California.
I've been wanting a quince
ever since my older sister had hers.
She had hers around like in 2011.
If my friends were to describe me,
I feel like they'd say I'm very hardworking.
They know me as a really good student,
and they know me as a go-getter.
- The best quality that Marlene has is that she's so kind.
She's the sweetest person.
- Marlene, she's very responsible for her age.
Very smart.
She's always willing to help people.
She's a giver.
- She's a great example to my daughter.
She's a great girl.
- One instant thing is that she chose us.
She say I want them to be my godparents, and I'm so happy.
'Cause I'm honored.
- I definitely did have a choice
if I wanted the quince or not.
My mom was kind of leaning towards more
like have a trip or something,
but I was kind of set on having a quince
because I know how much the tradition means for my family.
- I really didn't think this quince was gonna happen,
to be honest with you.
I told her like this,
I said, look, quinces take a long time to plan,
and you need a budget.
Like you need money.
We're not quite there right now.
She got really sad.
- Four or five years ago,
my dad was diagnosed with kidney failure.
I didn't know what was ahead of me.
I didn't know if he would be okay or not.
Like there was just no clear answer to anything.
Everyone else around me was hurting and unsure
of what was gonna happen.
It was a really hard time.
- I say, why do you want a quinceañera so bad?
She said, I want to cherish that memory with my dad
in case anything happens, I'll have that forever.
So, when she told me that, there was no doubt in my mind.
It was gonna happen, regardless.
- I just want her to remember that
no matter how hard life gets,
she has family that she can always fall back on,
for advice, for whatever kind of help she needs.
- When I got diagnosed, I was really bad.
I almost didn't make it.
So now, I'm here to see my daughter grow, get big,
and have that special day,
and like she said she wants that father-daughter dance,
and that means a lot to me you know.
- I had a quince.
Every girl should have a quince.
I'm happy that she had this decision,
and has this desire to have a quince because
I think this is something she can have to herself that
no one can take away.
- My name is Celia Barrios.
I'm the event planner for the quinceañera,
and a family friend.
Marlene is a great student, and I'm telling her mom
I know she's gonna go places.
So, the theme is the places she will go.
- I just feel that one good thing, one good day,
that we're all together and all happy,
celebrating life is something so beautiful.
Like I just feel that it's kinda like
closing a really dark, bad chapter,
and just beginning a whole new one of like hope and light
and where she's headed.
(upbeat music)
- So today we're here at Moda 2000,
and originally I came here looking for the Velma dresses,
but I ended up finding one that I actually really liked.
So, they did like alterations to it,
and today I'm gonna see it for the first time completed.
(upbeat music) (cheering)
So the process for me to find my dress was probably
like one to two months.
We went to a couple places looking for you know,
the right one, but I never really found it.
And when I came here, it took about two to three weeks
for them to order it and have it completed.
- She just looks so beautiful.
It is kinda like going back like, kind of like to when
they bring out your baby for the first time.
How beautiful it was, like that.
(laughs)
- It felt like magical.
There's not really any words to describe it.
I just feel like a princess.
I just felt really pretty and beautiful.
- Marlene, the whole night you're gonna be like, I'm here.
- I'm here.
(clapping)
One more turn.
(cheering) One more turn.
- She went reverse.
- What up y'all?
It's me, Galle Dolor.
I'm here to see Marlene's rehearsal for the quinceañera.
I'm super excited because this is one of the most important
parts of the quinceañera.
Everybody knows that.
This is the time that everybody hits it off,
like everybody becomes a little bit more than friends,
but more like family.
I still remember every quinceañera I've been to,
every rehearsal I went to,
it was like a time of comradery.
I'm excited to see what they got cooking up.
I'm a sit back.
I'm a let the instructor do his thing,
but I'm a step in when he needs me because,
you know what I'm saying, I'm a professional, B.
- My name is Shafik Saleh.
I have a dance company called S&S Dance company.
We specialize in quinceañeras and sweet 16s.
One, two, three, turn.
Position the dance.
Elbows up.
It takes like about between eight to 12 weeks
to be able to do the choregraphy,
because we do the traditional waltz, and the surprise one.
It is a mixture of different styles of music.
95% of the time the kids are always missing practices.
It is something that happens at a lot of quinceañeras.
So, it is very challenging to be able to work,
and manage kids, but at the end it's all worth it.
- Guys come over here, come over here.
I got a little tip.
When it comes to dancing, it's all about feeling each other,
you know what I'm saying?
A lot of time you guys are turning you're holding 'em
like this yo.
When you turn the female, you just let her hand rest.
Está bien?
Está tranquilo.
It's dancing, it's your turn.
Just because you say turn, mira, esta facile.
(laughing)
Very respectful, very respectful.
Le otro, the other way.
I don't need to go like this.
I don't need to go like, look what happened?
It looks funny, right?
So, this is a smooth transaction, you know what I mean?
Try it out. (upbeat music)
- It takes a lot of memory to get down the steps,
and I'm not really good at memorizing things.
So, I'm kind of stressed that I'm not going to
remember the steps to my baile sorpresa
or my waltz the day of, but I think I can do it.
- You guys look great.
Keep doing what you're doing.
You guys look amazing.
This is only one night that you're gonna have, you know.
So, have fun, enjoy.
(gentle music)
- Marlene has expressed a lot of times
that she really looks up to me.
She really admires me, because she thinks I'm very strong.
But sometimes the strongest are the weakest.
My advice to her is just to continue being who she is.
Continue being who you are Mama.
I see you going places,
and I can be more excited for your future.
I'm trying to give it all I have
to make it so, so special for you,
because this is my life present to you.
- Qué lo qué, mi gente.
Estoy aquí in Marlene's quince.
I'm super excited to see the dance.
Habe como resulto.
I know they practiced a lot.
So I'm gonna be there judging it.
(Speaking Spanish)
Vamos.
(gentle music)
- One of the big things I do for quinceañeras
is I love doing a room reveal.
So, all of their ideas with mom's and mine
mashed up into one.
They walk in, but they get this big surprise,
and it's always like a aha moment.
And it's really sweet.
So that's why I do them a lot.
Quinceañeras to me are like the perfect thing.
I love them.
Cause the girls really like evolve in the process.
So, it's really fun. (gentle music)
Her mom wants to say a lot of nice things about her
to everyone.
Her mom wants me to narrate it.
I think it'll be very sweet,
and she's gonna get all emotional I'm sure.
- You come from a strong line of women,
hard working women, loving women,
beautiful women, funny women,
courageous women, real women.
So forgive yourself often.
Go easy on your self-esteem, and embrace mistakes.
I love you beyond measure, my beautiful princess.
I hope today is everything you dreamed and envisioned.
You deserve it all.
Dance tonight like no one is watching.
Our journey has come to a brief stop tonight
to enjoy family and friends.
Let's celebrate.
Love Mama. (applause)
(upbeat music)
- What I'm most looking forward to for my quince
is the father-daughter dance.
It's very meaningful to me
just because my dad means the world to me,
and because a couple years ago I almost lost him.
So for me to have that moment with him,
it means a lot to me.
(upbeat music)
- The most special part of the night
is the father and daughter dance.
It was beautiful.
As you can see they really love each other.
I feel like it was the most special moment of the evening,
because you know it's probably like the only moment
they're gonna get that's special like this for each other.
(upbeat music)
- I tell you every day Mama, I love you with all my heart.
I'm proud of the young lady you're becoming.
Yeah, I mean, whatever happens to me
just I want you to know that I'm proud of you,
and I love you. (applause)
- Thank you for everything.
For your sacrifices, I know it's not easy,
but you pull it together for me and my siblings,
and I couldn't ask for a better dad.
(applause)
Thank you for all your sacrifices.
I know that planning this quince wasn't easy,
and I know you literally like planned it on
all your breaks and lunches.
Mom, you're a hustler and a soldier,
and I love you endlessly.
(upbeat music)
- The dance was amazing.
I felt like that's probably one of the best dances
I've ever seen in a quince.
She came out like first the Chambelanes did their thing.
(gentle classical music)
(upbeat music)
They had a little meringue too, which I thought was great,
and they just had different dances back-to-back,
which was phenomenal.
I felt like I was in a concert for a second.
I'm like you go!
Beyonce ain't got (bleep) on you girl!
(upbeat music)
For me the most special moment of the night
was the father and daughter dance,
and I know that Marlene has been looking forward
to this moment because her father has been waiting
for over five years for a new kidney.
Hopefully, after this video, we can find a donor,
and if you're O+, you're looking to donate a new kidney,
and save somebody's life.
Contact us. (gentle music)
- In general, in like our culture,
we've had such a tough time with my husband's sickness.
I remember when my mother passed,
my family wouldn't even think or consider donating
any of my mom's organs.
Because it's just not in our traditions to do that.
So, now that we've been in the situation
that has touched home,
and that we've talked to so many specialists
and so many doctors.
Now, we have the information,
and so we want to tell people
that when you're no longer here
or if one of your relatives pass away.
It's okay to help other families,
and it's okay to donate life
to another family that's suffering.
- I definitely want to raise awareness,
especially to the Latino community,
because we tend to just like disregard health,
and I want to really emphasize that our health is important,
and that we need to be aware of what we put into our bodies.
Because what you put into your body not only affects you,
but it affects the people around you.
Because if something goes wrong in there, you suffer.
- Marlene, thank you for having me there,
such a special day of your life.
It was beautiful.
It was highly emotional,
and I know you're gonna do great things in this world,
and I'm crazy to see the places you will go.
(gentle music)
- [Baby] Pero Like.