This was not a beginning with any startlingly memorable routines, which kind of sucks. That said, the quality of these dancers is MUCH higher, overall, than last year. Here are my thoughts...

PHILIP & CHANNING - I thought it was fine, but it was odd, that Phillip did not go all out. And those of you who have had to deal with my bitching for the last several years should not read the following: Phillip has that cheesy showgirl smile, the one that is very ingratiating, that drives me bananas. Fake as Hell. Phillip, along with one other, is officially my least favorite this year.

JAKOB & ASHLEIGH - Jakob is perhaps the smoothest cleanest dancer I have seen on this show. The end of the dance was jaw-droppingly good, and smooth. I actually agree with Drew that the two did not connect, though. Jakob kept his acting to one note, which worked for a bvit, but then wore thin (I still love him); and Ashleigh just kind of works off of the note of "slutt." Odd for someone I presume is Mormon.

PETER & ARIANA - They were fine, but this was actually kind of boring and uncomfortable to watch. No train wreck, it just had nothing that made it very interesting, and they really were on different planets

RUSSELL - His Foxtrot was not great. He missed key moves. That said, this was probably the most ENTERTAINING Foxtrot we have seen. His smoothness was amazing, especially for a Krumper. Obvious bullshit that he was in the bottom; and it is obvious bullshit that he is "untrained in others styles."

VICTOR & BIANCA - I admit it. I have been on the FOX boards a lot begging for Travis to be Mia's replacement. This solidifies it. Really, this was the most interesting choreography BY FAR of the night. Bianca has really grown on me, and was charming, fully present and committed, and connected to Hotness (err.... Victor). It had some of the intricate moves you see only in contemporary, which often are not attempted on this show (I assume to make it less prone to disaster). It was, after some thought, my favo of the night. Great choreo, great dancers, great chemistry.

KEVIN & KAREN - I actually reallt loved this routine. It would have been one of my favcorites of the night if it were not for the awkward "pretzel moves," which were indeed cool AND indeed awkward and slow. Karen was really hot to me. She truly seemed the professional, and led KEvin along quite nicely. He seemed nervous; but this dance was really nice, and KAren is one of my early favorites. Bonus points for not doing too much of the patent Ballroom camera pandering.

RYAN & ELLENORE - This choreo is the best I have seen f Sonya's. It was different, cool, with moves I have not seen. IMO, Ellenore was the best female dancer of the night. Her abandon was palpable most of the time, thogh she could indeed have let loose even more. The problem here is Cheese Man. True Confession: I was ready to hate him even before he made the idiotic "Me So Masculine" remark. In the dance, however, he was too stiff (no pun intended), and his head shakes, especially in contrast to Ellenore's, were tentative. He seemed far too worries about "looking good" on that stage, and it nearly ruined the dance for me. Ryan and Phillip are my Objects of disdain for the season. Ellenore needs to go far, though she has been nearly invisible. Fodder?

BRANDON & PAULINE - Really lackluster.

LEGACY & KATHRYN - I was actually shocked at how much I liked this one. It was fun, funny, mostly on point, and hard-hitting. Nice work, Mr. Scott! It was nice to see the two cry freaks loosen up; and it was intriguing to see that Legacy is, as I thought, a better dancer than we have been led to believe. I actually would say that he showed he deserves to be there. Kathryn is kinda nondescirpt outside the dance, so I doubt she goes far... but so far so good.

NATHAN & MOLLEE - I really was disappointed in this dance, except for some of the tricks I was SURE a just-turned-18-year-old would NEVER be able to pull of. I agree that is was uncomfortable to watch many of the tricks, because Nathan was slow to start them and it seemed doomed. That said, the tricks were great. The problem? As much as I love Nathan, his stature was off. He was leaning most of the time, where in Disco the key is to stay (ahem) erect. It ended being one of the better dances, but only because they pulled off some tricky feats.

Faves: Bianca and Victor (of my heart)
Kevin and Karen
Ellenore
Russell
Legacy and Kathryn

Bottom four was absolutely correct... except for Russell, the obvious pawn in Nigel's plan.

The real reason there is a new stage is that soundstage is already in use. So it was not really to "help" anything. But I still do not mind it.