removed dynamic drag and drop layer all together. In the end, the performance benefits (small) did not out weigh the complexity consequences

src/DragAndDrop.js

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 (function() {
     Kinetic.DD = {
         anim: new Kinetic.Animation(),
-        started: false,
+        // this flag is set to true the moment the user starts moving the mouse
+        // after they have mousedowned or touchstarted the node
+        moving: false,
         offset: {
             x: 0,
             y: 0
@@ -11,10 +13,6 @@
     Kinetic.getNodeDragging = function() {
         return Kinetic.DD.node;
     };
-    Kinetic.DD._initDragLayer = function(stage) {
-        stage.dragLayer = new Kinetic.Layer();
-        stage.dragLayer.getCanvas().getElement().className = 'kinetic-drag-and-drop-layer';
-    };
     Kinetic.DD._drag = function(evt) {
         var dd = Kinetic.DD, node = dd.node;
 
@@ -51,11 +49,6 @@
         if(node) {
             nodeType = node.nodeType,
             layer = node.getLayer();
-           
-            if((nodeType === 'Group' || nodeType === 'Shape') && node.getDragOnTop()) {
-                node.getStage().dragLayer.remove();
-            }
-
             dd.anim.stop();
 
             // only fire dragend event if the drag and drop
@@ -97,32 +90,15 @@
             pos = stage.getPointerPosition();
 
         if(pos) {
-            var m = this.getTransform().getTranslation(), ap = this.getAbsolutePosition(), nodeType = this.nodeType, container;
+            var m = this.getTransform().getTranslation(), 
+                ap = this.getAbsolutePosition(), 
+                layer = this.getLayer();
 
             dd.node = this;
             dd.offset.x = pos.x - ap.x;
             dd.offset.y = pos.y - ap.y;
-            dd.anim.node = this;
-
-            // Stage and Layer node types
-            if(nodeType === 'Stage' || nodeType === 'Layer') {
-                dd.anim.start();
-            }
-
-            // Group or Shape node types
-            else {
-                if(this.getDragOnTop()) {
-                    // clear shape from layer canvas
-                    that.setVisible(false);
-                    layer.draw();
-                    that.setVisible(true);
-                    stage.add(stage.dragLayer);
-                    dd.anim.start();
-                }
-                else {
-                    dd.anim.start();
-                }
-            }
+            dd.anim.node = layer;
+            dd.anim.start();
         }
     };
     /**

src/Layer.js

@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@
          * @methodOf Kinetic.Layer.prototype
          */
         getCanvas: function() {
-            var stage = this.getStage();
-            return (stage && stage._isTempDDLayerActive()) ? stage.dragLayer.canvas : this.canvas;     
+            return this.canvas;     
         },
         /**
          * get layer hit canvas

src/Stage.js

@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@
             this._buildDOM();
             this._bindContentEvents();
             Kinetic.Global.stages.push(this);
-
-            if(dd) {
-                dd._initDragLayer(this);
-            }
         },
         /**
          * set container dom element which contains the stage wrapper div element
@@ -309,22 +305,12 @@
             // chainable
             return this;
         },
-        /**
-         * get drag and drop layer
-         */
-        getDragLayer: function() {
-            return this.dragLayer;
-        },
         getParent: function() {
             return null;
         },
         getLayer: function() {
             return null;
         },
-        _isTempDDLayerActive: function() {
-            var dragLayer = this.dragLayer;
-            return dragLayer && dragLayer.getStage();
-        },
         _setPointerPosition: function(evt) {
             if(!evt) {
                 evt = window.event;

tests/js/unit/stageTests.js

@@ -228,16 +228,5 @@ Test.Modules.STAGE = {
         test(stage.getStage() !== undefined, 'stage is undefined');
 
         //console.log(stage.getStage());
-    },
-    'test stage.getDragLayer': function(containerId) {
-        var stage = new Kinetic.Stage({
-            container: containerId,
-            width: 578,
-            height: 200
-        });
-        
-        test(stage.getDragLayer().getCanvas().getElement().className === 'kinetic-drag-and-drop-layer', 'problem with stage.getDragLayer');
-
-
     }
 };