Former romance novel consumer Evie is the protagonist of Instructions for Dancing. She’s cynical, emotional, and smart. She’s often controlled by her emotions, as she can’t cope with her father’s affair and clings to her anger. This struggle with her father leads her to avoid him and refuse to go to his wedding—until she experiences character growth through mysterious visions and falling in love with X. Evie’s character flaws include avoiding conflict, holding grudges, and selfishness. While she’s allotted to her anger, her grudge against her father is destructive and drives a wedge between her and her family—including her mother Grace and sister Danica. Although he’s made mistakes, her father still loves her and tries to reconnect—but Evie continues to seethe until later in the novel, when X teaches her that time with loved ones is limited.

Before Evie grows into a more empathetic, vulnerable, and positive person, she makes several mistakes. She misinterprets the meaning of her visions, and distances herself from friends Sophie and Cassidy, and later X, because she can’t handle the idea of relationships ending. She breaks up with X after a vision foretells his death in 10 months, mourning him before he’s gone.