Almost All Grown Up

Every year, the Filipino Minnesota Association hosts the Debutantes Ball to celebrate the accomplishments of Filipino youths -- both female and male -- and their approaching transition to adulthood.

March 20, 2011 at 6:23PM
The Debutantes Ball is an annual event hosted by the Filipino Minnesota Association (FMA) to celebrate the accomplishments of Filipino youths (female and male) and their approaching transition to adulthood. During the ball, each youth is presented along with their parents/guardians, highlighting their personal achievements including academic, extra curricular activities, community involvements. They are also encouraged to state their future plans. They dance a Cotillion and some American hip hop
The Debutantes Ball is an annual event hosted by the Filipino Minnesota Association (FMA) to celebrate the accomplishments of Filipino youths (female and male) and their approaching transition to adulthood. During the ball, each youth is presented along with their parents/guardians, highlighting their personal achievements including academic, extra curricular activities, community involvements. They are also encouraged to state their future plans. They dance a Cotillion and some American hip hop. A competitive scholarship grant from the Balcos Family is presented to one deserving debutante and one deserving escort. Young women and men participated in a dress rehearsal at the Hilton, the night before their big event. In this photo:] Before being presented during the dress rehearsal at the Hilton, Elaiza Bungue, seated left to right, and Christine Cando, relax with their escorts Alex Hall, standing left to right, and Manny Riley. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Every year, the Filipino Minnesota Association hosts the Debutantes Ball to celebrate the accomplishments of Filipino youths -- both female and male -- and their approaching transition to adulthood. At the ball, each young person is presented along with his or her parents or guardians, while the audience hears of the youths' personal achievements in academics, extracurricular activities and community involvement. They are encouraged to state their future plans, and then they get to party, dancing a traditional cotillion as well as some American hip-hop. A competitive scholarship from the Balcos family is presented to one deserving debutante and one deserving escort.

At a dress rehearsal Friday at the Bloomington Hilton the night before the big event, Elaiza Bungue, left, and Christine Cando relaxed with their escorts, Alex Hall and Manny Riley.

about the writer

about the writer

David Joles

Photographer

David Joles is a photojournalist covering general assignments for the Star Tribune, with an interest in social documentary stories. 

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