Solo Dance (03:45)

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Many dancers prefer to lead the dance. Performing alone is like fighting an invisible partner. Laura Necquet dances an excerpt from "Paquita."

Dancing Alone (03:29)

Carolyn Carson and Emio Greco discuss performing solos. Christine and the Queens feels nothing bad can occur on stage.

Solo: Origins (04:13)

Louis XIV invented and embodied the solo; the ballet chorus symbolizes the court. Necquet rehearses for "Paquita" at Opera Garnier. Vaslav Nijinsky choreographed "The Rite of Spring" in the early 20th century.

Burlesque Cabaret Dancers (03:29)

This dance group pays homage to Löie Fuller's serpentine dances. The dancer died because she used radium to create a UV effect.

Modern Dance Explodes (03:23)

Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Fuller pioneered modern dance. The art world was dominated by men. Valeska Gert reconceived the idea of the solo.

Josephine Baker (04:13)

Boris Charmatz includes a solo from Baker in "Danses Animalieres" for the Paris Opera. Raphaëlle Delaunay explains how Baker used her race to her advantage.

Post-Modern American Dance (05:12)

Pioneers include Trisha Brown, Yvonne Rainer, and Lucinda Childs. This genre of dance embraces the feminist movement of the 1970s. Carolyn Carlson chooses her performers by their ability to shine.

Voguing (02:28)

Charmatz choreographs a routine for "20 Dancers for 20th Century." Men confront each other and assert their sexual identity. Lasseindra coaches a dancer on the routine.

Contemporary Dance in the 1980s (03:46)

Mark Tompkins explores gender issues and limits in "Homage to Josephine Baker." Dancers need to rise above judgment and be willing to do anything on stage.

Christine and the Queens (03:07)

In "Saint Claude, " Christine and the Queens uses masculine gestures in dance to blur gender issues.

Street Battles (08:13)

Dancers employ technical prowess and aggression in hip-hop dance. Working class African American and Latino people living in New York started the genre. Flexing dancers dislocate their bodies to build unreal images.

Expressing the Inner Self (06:02)

Hamdi Dridi performs a solo that is similar to a diary entry. Sometimes he does not want to stop because he feels his father watching. Other dancers describe why they enjoy dancing.

Credits: Solo (00:29)

Credits: Solo