Entertainment was the name of the game for this sequined extravanagza - even if the ladies' costumes were a little daring for a Tuesday night in Hockley.
But the risqué was nicely balanced with some beautiful floaty numbers, and both Austin Healey and Mark Ramprakash also flashed the flesh, maybe in a bid to win the all-important vote!
The feeling you get from seeing Strictly unfold live in front of your eyes is a world away from watching it on the box in the corner of the living room.
It's not just the celebrity element. You can really appreciate the hard work from the amateurs and the precision and skill of the professionals.
Even the judges stepped on to the dance floor, with Bruno and Craig getting up-close and personal with an audience who lapped up their every move. And a welcome return for Arlene got one of the biggest rounds of applause at the start of the show.
The professional dancers shimmied a superb ensemble opening turn to warm up the crowd and this set a near-impossible bar for the competing couples to aim for...
The line-up of energetic celebs also boasted Ricky Groves, Chris Hollins, Ali Bastian, Natalie Cassidy, Zoe Lucker and Kelly Brook.
Among the professionals, the crowd was particularly wowed by Lilia Kopylova, whose red-hot tango set pulses racing.
It was good to see a full house at the Arena so soon after seasonal expenditure - but who'd have wanted to miss out on all this glitz and glamour?
Before the finales of flaming pyrotechnics and fond farewells from our new friends on the dance floor, the winner for the opening night was crowned. Take a bow, Austin Healey.
This tour is back in February, by popular demand, so grab a chance before the penny-pinchers at the BBC pull the plug.
