Jamil has a voice line of, “I’ve practiced dancing since I was a child…by which I mean I had to tag along when Kalim wanted to do it,” and after explaining that Kalim has “studied traditional dance since he was a child” he downplays his own experience with, “I’m a bit into street dancing,” but in an early vignette Jamil reveals that he actually does have “passion for dancing” that he possibly does not wish to advertise, following with, “*ahem* You heard nothing. It is simply something I briefly dabbled in with Kalim once upon a time.” (Ace: “Uh, sounds like it was way more than ‘briefly.’ But whatever.”)
Jamil has several voice lines related to dancing, saying, “Whenever I went to see a musical as a kid, l’d practice all the dances afterwards until I could do them perfectly.”
In a flashback where we see Jamil ordered by his parents to lose games to Kalim (“I had to keep myself beneath him”), there is a montage that includes Kalim declaring, “I won first prize at the festival dancing contest!”
Kalim insists that a reluctant Jamil dance with him at the end of Book 4 (Jade: “They’re both quite limber”).
When talking about breaks he would take from his work as a child-servant Jamil says that he would “relax among the trees” of the park owned by Kalim’s family, but Kalim reveals that Jamil would actually practice dancing in what he thought was privacy (Kalim would use the park’s security feeds to find him).
During rehearsal for Fairy Gala Vil says that Jamil’s “steps are technically beyond reproach,” but “a dance that’s too perfect can appear lifeless,” saying that he is worse than both Kalim and Leona. Jamil is shocked, saying, “I’ve been dancing for years, and I’ve got this choreography completely memorized” and Vil says, “Your performance lacks charisma,” and asks him if he knows what else he is missing.
Ruggie offers to have Jamil join him on the tiara-stealing team but Jamil refuses (“I’m dancing, and that’s final”), but silently reflects, “What more am I supposed to do to draw attention if a perfect routine is insufficient?”
Kalim explains, “Jamil’s loved dancing since we were kids. I don’t think he’ll ever give this one up.”
Jamil happens upon Idia dancing along with a concert he watches on a tablet in the school’s courtyard and looks up the name of the group, deciding, “I’ve got no interest in idol groups, but that dance is fascinating. This might be worth looking into.”
Jamil lies to Idia about being “somewhat into Premo” (“Whatever it takes to improve my dancing”) and learns that Idia “was doing a dance routine called ‘glowing’ designed to show support to idols.” Jamil thinks to himself, “I’m still lost as to why anyone would ever do that, but regardless, the fact remains that Idia’s ardent glowing conveyed a discernible enthusiasm to me. Maybe this is it…” and asks Idia to teach him the dance.
During their performance Jamil tells Kalim, “Leave the hype-building to me,” silently reflecting, “A perfect dance alone doesn’t bring a show together. What does is something that draws people in. And that’s PASSION,” with which Vil agrees, later that Jamil covered for Kalim’s attention to detail in spades.
During the NBC event Azul comments on Jamil liking “up-tempo music” and Jamil responds, “I suppose I do, yes. I tend to listen to catchy songs that are great for dancing.” Skully says, “Waltzes and tangos, I’m guessing? You do carry yourself ever so gracefully, Jamil. I’d enjoy dancing a number with you sometime.”
Jamil says that what he prefers is nothing like waltzes (though he has taken waltzing lessons before) and Azul explains, “Jamil prefers louder and more convoluted songs.” (Jamil: Do you have to describe them that way?”)
At the end of Port Fest, Jamil tells Ruggie, “I think I’d like to try the dance you did. Would you be willing to teach me?” (Ruggie tells him to ask Jack, instead.)
The designer of Jamil’s outfit for the Tapis Rouge event describes their design for the trousers by saying, “We went with a flared cut for an active look. We understand you are a dancer, so we wanted your outfit to have a sense of energy.”
In a vignette where Jamil told Kalim to suspend a concert that Kalim then hosted anyway, inviting Floyd to perform and resulting in “nigh-anarchy” and “the lounge of Scarabia being left “in shambles,” Jamil possibly, ultimately joined the dancers, saying, “I suppose I may as well join them and forget my troubles, if only momentarily.”
Deuce goes to Jamil and Kalim for help with his dance for the Star-Sending event. When he asks what they think Jamil responds, “Not passable in the least…I wondered what could possibly make you so desperate. Now I understand; that dance is NOT ready for prime time. He’s TOO motivated. He doesn’t have a shred of dignity or grace.”
After Jamil scolds Floyd for his attempts at breakdancing during basketball practice Floyd asks him for help, and when Jamil refuses he decides to teach himself. Jamil against scolds him (“Dancing is not a thing to be taken lightly. It requires proper form”), ultimately doing exactly what Floyd had wanted him to do and teaching him how to breakdance. (Ace: “I would’ve never pegged Jamil as a breakdancer, though. Talk about the surprise of a lifetime.”)
Ace references this interaction in the main story when he, too, asks Jamil to teach himself and the VDC first-year group how to dance, and Jamil agrees (“Teaching makes good practice for me, so…sure”).
Ace praises Jamil for getting Deuce and Grim “from zero skills to…some skills” in less than an hour, and after teaching them the basics Jamil says they are on their own.
At his audition Vil says that Jamil’s “dancing and singing are both the most passable (he’s) seen so far” (“Not bad, I suppose”), and both Ace and Deuce are revealed to have passed the audition after receiving Jamil’s instructions, as well as Jamil himself (Grim: “They totally left ME out, though!” – Jamil: “I think even Vil would be hard-pressed to fit YOU on the team”).
During the Halloween party of Spectral Soiree Epel tells Jamil that he doesn’t “see the appeal of these highfalutin’ dances,” but after Jamil offers to teach him how to waltz Epel reveals that he was actually “a little jealous of how much fun everyone else was having.”
Epel picks up the steps in less than ten minutes, but then says, “I wish the ghosts wanted to do something cooler, like breakdancing.” Jami responds, “Well, there are more advanced waltz steps. They’re not breakdancing, but they are pretty intense,” and gives Epel a hands-on demonstration: “Running spin turn, side cross…now a natural turn, followed by a triple spin!”
Seeing them dance together the others students begin to cheer, with Epel saying that Jamil’s dancing has inspired them. Epel thanks Jamil for his help, saying, “You’ve helped make dancing much easier for me. Now I see why people enjoy waltzing.”
