Barefoot dancing on TV

Has anyone been watching "So You Think You Can Dance?" on Fox? The series is almost done now, but they have had some really amazing barefoot dancers, both male and female. It's down to 4 now, 2 males and 2 females. 3 of the 4 are normally barefoot dancers. The 2 girls, Ashle and Melody are so, so good. I can't decide which I like best, but I think maybe I'd pick Ashle.

 

Dancing professionally barefoot is common.

I'm a dance instructor and danced professionally for a few years. Wearing shoes and dancing HOURS and HOURS a day can cause blisters all over your feet and ankles. I don't wear shoes when I perform or when I teach and I encourage the children I teach to go barefoot as well.

And Melody is a MUCH better technical dancer than Ashley...vote for her

But Nick is much better than the other male dancer...he can turn FOREVER. My mouth dropped on his solo performance on Wed. night.

 

Kelly Monaco has them all beat

 

Well, to me they both are very good. I love watching both of them.

There is one thing I've seen Ashle do that I think is so cool. Maybe it's nothing unusual for that type of dancing, but I've never noticed any of the others do it. And that is, sometimes when she's kind of down on her knees, she'll then rise to an upright position coming up on her toes, but her toes will be turned under, kind of similar to making a fist with your hands. She'll come straight up and momentarily seem to have all her weight on her curled under toes while her body is upright. After seeing that, I tried it, and it's very difficult and somewhat painful. I'm determined to be able to do that though, after seeing her. I don't mean doing dance moves like her, of course, I'd just like to be able to stand and put my weight on my curled under toes.

Is that foot/toes position common in dancing?