How do different behaviors interact and influence each other on a circuit level? During courtship, some behavioral elements are combined and others exclude each other or occur in a preferred sequence. We discovered that dependent on the state of the animal and the behavior it is engaged in, activation of neuronal classes has drastically different motor outcomes. By using optogenetic circuit interrogation, we explore the neuronal and genetic basis of state dependent action selection, aiming at identifying circuits and neuromodulators for behavioral hierarchy and coordination. Our findings highlight inhibition as an important mechanism for structuring behavioral sequences, ensuring appropriate, context dependent response to sensory stimuli.