What a premiere… In terms of diversity of dancing, this episode had it all, whether it was Latin dance, crumpin’, flexin’ or clogging. While it was refreshing to see new acts, most of them floundered. For those who succeeded in episode one, a solid foundation in hip hop and bboy was key. Stomp and Riverdance may have their places in the dance world, but as far as being America’s Best Dance Crew, few of these specialized dances translated into wide, mainstream appeal.

Strikers All Stars: These guys have an interesting blend of steppin’ and crumpin’, but there’s not much going on in the upper half of their bodies. In fact, it’s just a lot of waving… They’re skilled in their own right, but they’re not very tight, nor are they cohesive or unique for a dance crew.

Beat Freaks: Sick! Viva L.A.! These girls are a group of professional dancers, and they don’t let you forget it. This group is masterminded by Harajuku Girls’ Rino Nakasone, and as far as hitting all possible notes, Beat Freaks charged the stage with the ambition to take it all for the winning. I can’t wait to see what else they’ll be serving up in the ensuing weeks… there’s really no justice if these girls get booted.

G.O.P. Dance: What does G.O.P. stand for, anyway? Grand ol’ party? Okay, so I get how coming out in monk robes was their way of paying homage to their cultural background, but in the end, it was arbitrary to their dance; it didn’t set a tone or theme. The suicide flip was sharp, and the salsa was good, but the incorporation of it into their bboy skills - which are not that good - was not clean. I agree with Lil’ Mama: in terms of bringing it with cultural dance, they fell short.

Quest Crew: All of these guys are talented in their own unique ways, and this dance showcased them. Their skills trickled down to even the slightest of details, like jiggling their legs during one-handed handstands, and their enthusiastic energy and facial expressions lifted the act out of being a mere dance routine, and catapulted it into the realm of entertainment. These guys know how to work the stage. “Hok” Konishi, also a visual artist, leads this talented crew of boys, all of whom are creative beyond dance in their various ways. Kid Rainen sums it up best: everything was en pointe.

Fly Khicks: For what it’s worth, these girls are NBA dancers (Miami Heat). “Milkshake” set the tone, for sure… um, was this the music video or something? All this was missing was pompoms. Kid Rainen said he would’ve liked more style, which will be a concern later on in the show, but that was being nice: style should always be a concern, and these girls are confusing style with what is or is not a hot kick (no, it’s not your sneakers, and no, it’s not your eagle spread extensions). Shane Sparks and Mario Lopez were lovin’ it, so I guess these girls succeeded in exploiting their sex appeal, not their talent.

Ring Masters: So, flexing – definitely a dance for the double jointed… They’re not the greatest dancers. This dance was heavily reliant on their flexing abilities, which are remarkable, but a little hard to watch, especially when one of the dancers gets his arms twisted behind his back with a pole not once, not twice, but thrice. Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s good.

Boxcuttahz: Lydia Paek is the one girl in this otherwise all-guy crew. They spent way too much time playing, which wasn’t that entertaining. The whole time I was waiting for them to start hittin’ it with the chorus of “Bonafide Lovin’” (how does that song not make anyone want to dance!?). Their act was heavily reliant on shticks, like theatrics and props. And what was up with the glasses? They didn’t inform the theme of the dance at all, and at one point, a pair slid off stage. The lead choreographer stressed that he likes to focus on each and every dancer, but I didn’t see that reflected in their dance. Most of the time, the guys were dancing around Paek, and like Lil’ Mama pointed out, she wasn’t using this spotlight moment to the fullest extent. I get the feeling they’re holding back, so it will be be interesting to see what they’ll come up with next week.

Dynamic Edition: “…but i think hip hop is definitely a young-based dance that brings in the kids.” Say what? Okay, I thought this one was going to be utterly ridiculous, but for what it’s worth, these guys definitely know their clogging, but i can’t say that much about their sense of hip hop, which looked like it was learned from music videos. All of the tapping was on cue with the beat of the dance, which is no easy feat, but this ain’t no tap dance recital.

Team Millennia: For their triumphant return, this crew incorporated rock into details, right down to riffin’ on a girl’s leg! However, I hope they don’t rely on the rock-on sign to carry them further into the competition. We all know this crew is talented, and I have to agree with Lil’ Mama: they have so much more to offer than, “We’re rockers, yeeeah!” These dancers aren’t rockers, and they shouldn’t box themselves in. In fact, my favorite part was when they were popping, which wasn’t even part of the rock routine. I can understand any hesitations they may have – on account of their unceremonious and unjustified boot last year – but they really need to let go of this pseudo-rocker appeal if they really want to show America what they’re all about.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

• What was up with Dynamic Edition pointing at Boxcuttahz when they won the round? I’m sure DE was excited, but most winning teams make the effort to hug the losing team or shake their hands. Gleefully pointing fingers seemed very unsportsmanlike.

• How good was Kid Rainen as a guest host!? It goes without saying that he knows what he’s talking about, and he’s funny to boot (”…Los Luchadores mask on your hehhh!”). Too bad JC Chasez is coming back next week…

• Episode 2 is all about stamina, and by the looks of how the girls of Beat Freaks were pumpin’ iron in the behind-the-scenes montage, it’s going to be a stiff competition.