Thoughts on the Dance Class dolls

The Dance Class dolls have appeared on eBay, meaning they'll slowly but surely be making their way into stores worldwide over the next several weeks. I'm not going to post the pics of them here -- head over to the awesome Monster High Insider to see them.

In the online community they seem to be getting a fair-to-negative response so far. It looks like these dolls will be a "budget" line. I would say they look analogous to the recent Skultimate Roller Maze line, but considering the lack of accessories and the thin material of these dolls' clothes, they have much more in common with a basic swimwear line. That doesn't really disappoint me. After all, as I've said many times, the basic dolls often appeal to me more than the elaborate ones. My opinions on the individual dolls themselves--

Howleen -- Her curly, orange fauxhawk has been replaced with pink, curly pigtails. It's a cute look but I like the fauxhawk better. Her dance style is hip hop so why do her clothes look like pj's? Combined with her toned down makeup she could pass for a Dead Tired doll. Her purse seems to have been designed to look like a boombox (or maybe it is a boombox?) Overall I like her and I haven't been able to get ahold of her basic doll (*sadface*) so on the To Buy list she goes.

Robecca Steam -- Hmm, I'm pretty conflicted. Her face looks so pretty! But I'm not digging that Mattel has replaced her awesome blue color scheme with purple. It's hard to tell from the pic but it looks like even her streaks have been changed to purple which is especially disappointing. On the plus side, the actual design of her dress (not the color) is cute; I especially like the bodice and the (apparent) detailing around the neck. But  how does this outfit play into her theme at all? See what I mean -- conflicted. Gonna have to wait 'til I can see this doll in person before I decide if she's for me. Oh, by the way, her dance style is tap, not the earlier reported robot.

Lagoona Blue -- Another gorgeous face for Lagoona! Totally loving those bright magenta lips! Eyeshadow looks to be two shades of lavender. Nice! Her dance style is ballet but that bodice belongs in a Whitesnake video (which totally works for me, if I'm being honest here). This outfit looks more like a swimsuit with a wrap than ballet gear. I wish the doll's hair was parted in the middle like it is in the box drawing. It's an awesome drawing -- Lagoona looks more like an alien or a fairy than a sea creature. My overall feelings for this Lagoona are positive -- she's on the keeper list.

Operetta -- Another beautiful face! Her eyes remind me of her recent Kohl's exclusive doll, a design choice I can get behind. I love the bandana/bow in her hair and purple mask. Her outfit looks a bit cheap, although I do like the spiderweb print on the skirt. It doesn't exactly scream "swing" to me, though. Operetta tends to have cool shoes; I wish we could see these better. I'm liking her so she'll probably make her way into my collection.

What do you think of the Dance Class dolls? Love 'em or hate 'em?