The present paper investigates methods to control dynamic stall using an optimal approach. An unsteady aerodynamic sensitivity analysis code is developed by a direct differentiation method from a two-dimensional unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes solver including a two-equation turbulence model. Dynamic stall control is conducted by minimizing an objective function defined at an instant instead of integrating for a period of time. Unsteady sensitivity derivatives of the objective function are calculated by the sensitivity code, and optimization is carried out using a linear line search method at every physical time step. Numerous examples of dynamic stall control using control parameters such as nose radius, maximum thickness of airfoil, or suction show satisfactory results.