Instructions for Dancing: Chapters 37–60

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 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
    Pops and me always had an understanding—nothing too explicit—that I’d go to college and major in something practical.
  2. capsize
    overturn accidentally
    For a while he doesn’t say anything, and I think our little metaphorical boat on the lake is about to capsize.
  3. stifle
    smother or suppress
    I try to stifle a yawn, but it comes out anyway.
  4. vanquish
    defeat in a competition, race, or conflict
    X: I smell like rock and roll
    X: And man sweat
    X: And the blood of my vanquished enemies
  5. improvisation
    something done without prior preparation or planning
    “Other thing to know is that tango is dance of improvisation. I will teach you steps and techniques, but you have to put them together when you dance. You have to feel.”
  6. lament
    regret strongly
    Fifi alternates between praising my technical skills and lamenting my inability to “give in to passion of music.”
  7. impromptu
    with little or no preparation or forethought
    He tells Cassidy what music to play and suddenly we’re giving impromptu dance lessons.
  8. convey
    serve as a means for expressing something
    Are you sure I can’t call you? Texting is a poor medium for conveying joy.
  9. gauzy
    so thin as to transmit light
    My outfit is nothing special, just a beige skirt and a gauzy pale-yellow blouse.
  10. abound
    exist in large quantities
    When we get there, the other guests are easy to spot. Flower-patterned dresses and enormous hats abound.
  11. trellis
    latticework used to support climbing plants
    I see bougainvillea on trellises and climbing vines on the walls.
  12. beeline
    the most direct route
    Danica makes a beeline for her.
  13. tiered
    having or arranged in layers or levels
    This time, they’re carrying tiered silver trays filled with tiny sandwiches and miniature desserts.
  14. resent
    feel bitter or indignant about
    But another part of me resents being claimed. My family was just the right size before. I already have two actual grandmothers. I don’t need another one.
  15. dote
    shower with love; show excessive affection for
    And you know my Shirley loves with her whole heart. She just dotes on him and his ten-dollar English-professor words.
  16. rigorous
    strict; allowing no deviation from a standard
    LA Danceball is only four weeks away now, and Fifi steps up our practice schedule from rigorous to outlandish.
  17. faction
    a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
    Groupies are supposed to party, she says. Martin nicknames us X Faction.
  18. testament
    strong evidence for something
    It’s a testament to Fifi’s relentless training that I don’t stumble, because X right now is my own personal earthquake.
  19. falter
    be or become weak, unsteady, or uncertain
    A young Archibald falters and looks down at his feet, unsure what to say next.
  20. chiffon
    a sheer fabric of silk or rayon
    Maggie’s wedding dress is chiffon and lace.
  21. elation
    a feeling of joy and pride
    On her face is a mixture of exhaustion and elation.
  22. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    “Hearts grow bigger so you can love more.”
    The little girl nods, kid- solemn, and doesn’t take her eyes off her baby brother.
  23. diva
    a distinguished female operatic singer
    I’d pretend to be a patient whose face needed (cosmetic) saving and she’d be the genius young surgeon, the only one with enough guts and talent to help me. She’s made me into a ’60s hippie love child, a ’70s disco diva, an ’80s bubblegum-pop star.
  24. garish
    tastelessly showy
    Somehow Dani made me look bold but not garish.
  25. per capita
    relating to each person individually
    Per capita, the only other place you can find more sequins or bow ties on teenagers is prom.
  26. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
    “This is wild,” X says as we watch our competition. I look for the couple from Westside Dance that Maggie said would be our main adversary.
  27. stately
    refined or imposing in manner or appearance
    As it turns out, ballroom competitions are not stately affairs.
  28. boisterous
    noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
    The fans are boisterous and partisan. As soon as we walk into the main ballroom, they start whistling and screaming out the numbers of their favorite dancers.
  29. partisan
    devoted to a cause or political group
    The fans are boisterous and partisan. As soon as we walk into the main ballroom, they start whistling and screaming out the numbers of their favorite dancers.
  30. banshee
    a female spirit who wails to warn of impending death
    They scream like banshees when they see us.
  31. incandescent
    characterized by ardent emotion, intensity, or brilliance
    I’m so angry now, I’m incandescent with it.
  32. inconsolable
    sad beyond comforting
    I’m crying hard now, inconsolable.
  33. jaded
    bored or apathetic after experiencing too much of something
    The yearbook comes out, and everyone, even the most jaded and cynical kids, turns nostalgic and earnest.
  34. reminisce
    recall the past
    We reminisce, sign each other’s books and make promises we really want to keep.
  35. stark
    devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment
    She looks at me and her eyes are stark and filled with tears she won’t let fall.
  36. stoic
    seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive
    I see my mom, strong and stoic and capable.
  37. grate
    make resentful, irritated, or angry
    Our valedictorian gives a speech using cheese as her primary metaphor. We started out as young, mild cheddar but have since aged into sharp, mature Gruyère. Even though some teachers and classes grated, high school was still a Gouda experience.
  38. bestow
    present
    Since our class is too big to bestow diplomas individually, he holds up an oversized symbolic diploma, presents it and declares us Bevshire High School graduates.
  39. acute
    extremely sharp or intense
    “Dad would never do that.”
    Her relief is acute, and I feel like a good big sister.
  40. wary
    openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
    His eyes are sad and wary, but at least they’re on me. “Why are you here, Evie?”
Created on Thu Jan 25 16:25:33 EST 2024 (updated Fri Jan 26 15:10:03 EST 2024)

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