Dancing ladies beginning to strip off — this couldn't be better (5)
I believe the answer is:
ideal
'dancing ladies beginning' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to thinking as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'strip off this couldn't be better' is the wordplay.
'strip' indicates the central letters (I've seen 'stripped' mean this (outside letters removed)).
'off' becomes 'going' (both can mean departing).
'this couldn't be better' becomes 'deal' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The centre of 'going' is 'i'.
'i'+'deal'='IDEAL'
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ideal that I've seen before include "fanciful" , "Perfect but perhaps unlikely to become reality" , "principle to be aimed at" , "Model of ethical behaviour" , "Paradigm" .)