Instructions for Dancing: Chapters 13–22

by Nicola Yoon
When her parents' seemingly happy marriage breaks up, high school senior Yvette (Evie) Antoinette Thomas decides she doesn't believe in love anymore, until she starts taking ballroom dancing lessons in preparation for a Los Angeles competition.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–12, Chapters 13–22, Chapters 23–36, Chapters 37–60
40 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. akimbo
    with hands on hips and elbows extending outward
    She pauses, arms akimbo, expecting us to respond to her greeting.
  2. jut
    extend out or project in space
    On the pop, she juts her left hip out dramatically and then repeats the movement going to the left.
  3. subtlety
    a fine difference in meaning, opinion, or attitude
    I can also feel that ballroom might be one of those things where it’s easy enough to learn the basics but much harder to get all the subtleties of movement.
  4. striking
    having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
    I forgot how striking they are. He’s wearing a gray tux. She’s wearing a glittering fuchsia gown and bright makeup.
  5. infinitesimal
    immeasurably small
    “He stole my bike,” I explain, stomping out the infinitesimal and completely uncalled-for spark of happiness I feel that he remembered my name.
  6. banter
    converse in a playful or teasing way
    It looks like we’re bantering, like sparks are flying between us like in witty, old romantic comedies.
  7. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    “We will have to do something about clothes,” Fifi says as she scrutinizes us both.
  8. demented
    affected with madness or insanity
    “And both very good-looking. Especially X,” she says, and waggles her eyebrows like some sort of demented cartoon character.
  9. lance
    open by piercing with a surgeon's knife
    “What is horrible thing you are wearing?” She looks at him like he’s a boil she wants to lance.
  10. modicum
    a small or moderate or token amount
    He’s still ridiculously hot, but now that he’s wearing shorts I know he has nice calves too. They’re wide and muscular, with just a modicum of hair.
  11. imbue
    give qualities or abilities to; endow
    “If we ever make it to Argentine tango, we do closed frame.” She imbues the “if” with so much overwrought skepticism it sounds like eeeeeeef.
  12. overwrought
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
    “If we ever make it to Argentine tango, we do closed frame.” She imbues the “if” with so much overwrought skepticism it sounds like eeeeeeef.
  13. clamor
    make loud demands
    “Okay, now relax your shoulders. They do not belong next to ears,” says Fifi, pressing on X’s collarbone. “You have nice strong neck. Let the people see it.”
    Who are these people clamoring to see his neck? I wonder.
  14. assert
    claim to be true
    I can’t decide if it’s basic self-respect or supreme arrogance to assert that your breath is not foul.
  15. rueful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    He gives me a rueful smile. A smile full of rue.
    We start again with Fifi calling the count. Bachata is all about small steps, but X’s are too big.
  16. trepidation
    a feeling of alarm or dread
    Despite my trepidation over what’s happening with the boom box, I answer right away.
  17. deter
    turn away from as by fear or persuasion
    I spend the entire car ride trying to talk her out of it, but she will not be deterred.
  18. indulge
    yield to; give satisfaction to
    “I decided that it doesn’t really work. If people lived like that, they would indulge all their worst impulses. They’d blow off their obligations, say and do inappropriate and immoral things, eat the wrong foods. It’d be a disaster.”
  19. dissertation
    a treatise advancing a point of view resulting from research
    “Wow, that was a dissertation. But why do you assume people would do the wrong things with their last day? Maybe they’d eat all their vegetables. Maybe they’d tell the people they love how much they love them.”
  20. promenade
    a public area set aside as a pedestrian walk
    The Santa Monica promenade is basically an outdoor mall with a closed-to-traffic, paved-brick road running through it.
  21. brine
    water containing salts
    The air’s a mix of ocean brine, floral perfumes and that new-leather mall smell.
  22. rhetorical question
    an inquiry that is not supposed to be answered
    “Why you think no one is watching?”
    I know a rhetorical question when I hear one.
  23. charisma
    personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others
    “You are in band. You perform on stage. Where is boldness?”
    “Singing and ballroom dancing are not the same thing, Fi,” he says.
    “But you have to have charisma, yes? Where is charisma?” she asks.
  24. intimate
    marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
    Something about taking my hair down feels too intimate.
  25. crooner
    a singer of popular ballads and romantic songs
    The singer is a crooner. His voice sounds like he’s just found the meaning of life and he’s about to tell you what it is.
  26. sentiment
    tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
    In situations like this, most people wish for a hole to open up and swallow them into the ground. But I don’t want that. What I want is to be the hole. I don’t know what that sentiment means, but I’m sure I mean it.
  27. behemoth
    someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
    The bus is an open-air double-decker behemoth festooned with pictures of famous landmarks and grainy photos of surprised, not-entirely-pleased-looking celebrities.
  28. festoon
    decorate or adorn
    The bus is an open-air double-decker behemoth festooned with pictures of famous landmarks and grainy photos of surprised, not-entirely-pleased-looking celebrities.
  29. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    He says the names with such reverence that I can’t help feeling a little excited for him.
  30. induction
    a formal entry into an organization or position or office
    “I’m a musician already. What I want is to be a rock star. I want world domination. I want the big stadium. The sold-out shows. The cover of Rolling Stone. The induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
  31. pretentious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
    He’s not being pretentious, like I thought he was. Like I hoped he was. He’s smart and thoughtful and funny, maybe even a little philosophical.
  32. delve
    inquire into
    There’s so much I want to ask about why they didn’t fit, but I definitely should not be delving into his love life.
  33. elaborate
    add details to clarify an idea
    “Yeah,” I say, but I don’t elaborate.
  34. spelunk
    explore natural caves
    I peer into the near darkness from the doorway, wishing for a spelunking helmet, which is not something I’ve ever wished for before.
  35. tepid
    feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
    I watch the crowd, trying to gauge their enthusiasm. It is tepid.
  36. earnest
    devout or heartfelt
    The lyrics are too sweet and earnest—something about corsages and promises.
  37. sconce
    a decorative wall bracket for holding candles or lights
    Actual candles in actual sconces line the walls.
  38. idly
    in a lazy, casual, or aimless way
    He turns the vase centerpiece idly with his long fingers.
  39. snarky
    rudely sarcastic and mocking in tone or manner
    “I especially like the smart, pretty, snarky, slightly confusing ones.”
  40. imperious
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    “We don’t agree on the direction of my future,” he says, using a deep, imperious voice, like a judge pronouncing a verdict.
Created on Thu Jan 25 16:25:09 EST 2024 (updated Fri Jan 26 13:30:51 EST 2024)

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