the dancers separate and each dancer, in turn, takes center stage and performs a variation (a solo dance). In general, the variations are intended to showcase spectacular, acrobatic leaps and turns, as well as the skills and athleticism of the individual dancers. The danseur's variation is usually performed first, followed by the ballerina's variation. Coda The coda (literally "tail") is the concluding segment of a grand pas de deux. Typically, it is a recapitulation of earlier segments of the grand pas de deux, consisting of elements that are characteristic of the adagio, variations, or both, and ends during a grand musical climax. History Elements of the grand pas de deux first appeared in the early 18th century as opening acts of operas and ballets in which a couple would perform identical dance steps, sometimes while holding hands. At that time and throughout the Baroque period, ballet partner dancing was evolving to show more dramatic content. For example, in The Loves of Mars and Venus ballet of 1717, Mars (the male dancer) strove to portray gallantry, respect, ardent love, and adoration, while Venus showed bashfulness, reciprocal love, and wishful looks. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a romantic pas de deux emerged that involved closer physical contact, with ballerinas dancing on their toes in the hands of their partners. As the 19th century progressed, the form became a showcase for the skills of the increasingly sophisticated ballerina. The ballets of the late 19th Century—particularly of those of Marius Petipa—introduced the concept of the grand pas de deux, which often served as the climax of a scene or an entire performance. This involved a consistent format of entrée and adagio by a pair of leading male and female dancers, followed by virtuosic solos (first by the male and then the female) and a finale. During the 20th century, the grand pas de deux became more integrated with the story of the ballet, with increasingly acrobatic content. Notable Pas de deux White Swan Pas de deux, from the second act of Swan Lake Black Swan Pas de deux, from the third act of Swan Lake Bluebird Pas de deux, from the third act of The Sleeping Beauty Coppélia Grand Pas de deux Diane and Actéon Pas de deux, from the ballet Le Roi Candaule Flower Festival in Genzano Pas de deux La Sylphide Pas de deux Le Corsaire Pas de deux