Synopsis
In the video for "Single Ladies", emphasis is laid on Knowles' more aggressive and sensual side, her alter ego Sasha Fierce. It shows her in an asymmetrical leotard and high-heels, with two look-alike backup dancers, Ebony Williams and Ashley Everett. Knowles' mother, Tina Knowles, designed the high-cut leotards after seeing something similar in the American musical films A Chorus Line and All That Jazz. The dance routine incorporates many styles, including jazz, tap, and hip hop, and is credited with popularizing J-Setting, a flamboyant lead and follow dance style prominent in many African American gay clubs across Atlanta and used by the all-female J-Sette dance troupe of Jackson State University.
The video features Knowles and her two companions dancing inside an infinity cove, which alternates between black and white and places the focus on the complex choreography. Throughout the video the women click their heels and shake their hips and legs. However, the main intention is to attract the viewers' attention toward their hands and ring fingers as they do the hand-twirl move. At one point during the video, the dancers run up to a wall, which, according to Frank Gatson Jr., pays homage to Shirley MacLaine's act in the 1969 film Sweet Charity. Toward the end of the video, Knowles flashes her own wedding ring on her finger.
Read more about this topic: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), Music Video