gone webby!

I have a new website as part of my senior project work, don't worry this is still my main page and place of work.

But to watch the progress check this out!

http://www.wix.com/laurenchertudi/chertudidance

rocks, woodland nypms, and psycho paths...

The last 2 days have been AMAZING for me. 100% dance 0% school and work. I'm sooooooo happy

Ok so I was asked to step in for an injured dancer in the universities dance company even though I'm not a member, meaning I will be a guest artist in the show for that one piece. I am so over the moon that I get to be a small part of the school's dance program. I have only ever taken classes and never been a part of the company for various reasons. I love the fact that I can act as a small supporting member and just be there for the experience. I don't want or need attention or solos or whatever, I simply want to dance and it felt so good to be able to do that.

Friday was my first rehearsal for the piece, (which they are almost done with so I have a lot of homework to do! which lets be honest makes me ridiculously happy). It's an amazing piece that is a lot of fun to do and I can't wait to actually learn it.

Friday afternoon Variable had a photo shoot in Montana de Oro in the Eucalyptus trees with Kiel Carreau and Kamil Konrad. I felt like a woodland nymph mixed with a tree monkey. It was such a good time and I know we got some epic photos and video out of it.

Today (saturday) we had rehearsal for the big performance in a week down in Palm Desert for the Dance Under the Stars at the McCallum Theater, where we are competing. I am beyond excited for it and I think the piece looks awesome. It feels tight and strong and looks clear and precise. I LOVE it.

It's been such a great 2 days and I love being a dancer more than anything in the world. It's actually kind of funny, a friend of mine kept asking if I was going out the last couple nights. Thursday I had dance until 10pm, Friday dance from 8-11am photo shoot from 1-6, Saturday dance from 8-12. His point was that I need to re organize my priorities and stop being so good and dance and devoting my time to it. According to him I need to slack off, drink/party more, and dance, study and work less. I'm sorry to say that's never going to happen I love dancing too much.

photo by Ryan Polei Spring 2009

Meet Laine

This is my friend Laine, she's my fancy photographer friend who takes super cool photos of me, which is why I love her. (possible interview to be seen here soon)

The title photo for this blog was taken by her when we were living in France where she did a series of photos that can be see here. When she puts up more photos of me for my dance portfolio they will be posted don't worry.

She takes really cool photos of every kind:

This was on Portobello Road on our trip to London:

I think this one belongs in the New York Times Travel section (my highest compliment if you know me, I'm obsessed with the New York Times). Plus its a photo of Shell Beach which is my favorite:

This is me at the Blind Pilot show a couple of weeks ago:

While she cheated on me with another dancer for this shot I have to admit it's beyond amazing! and the blue paint effect she used on the print is epic but there isn't a digital version of that yet:

To see more of her work or resume or to contact her for work go to:

flikr account

linkedin

ALL PHOTOS courtesy of Laine Riley, copyright Laine Riley, all rights reserved... please don't steal them. It's not nice and we may have to hunt you down for being a bad person, please don't be a bad person. Thank you

Concerts Galore!

I love music, probably more than a healthy amount. However I can't change and must embrace that fact. Recently I have had the chance to see some pretty awesome shows lately.

Of course Arcade Fire will never be topped, that was the most amazing show EVER.

Lately I have seen 3 pretty awesome show though

First was Blind Pilot at CalPoly on Oct 14th during UU hour. They are such a cute band from Portland that just bring joy to my life.

I LOVE this song!

Then this Thursday in the rain again during UU hour was Trevor Hall who brought so much joy and a whole hour of stress relief that I so greatly enjoyed.

I couldn't find a live video that I liked, so here is a song that I love

Friday I went to the grand re opening of SLO Brew (formerly Downtown Brew/DTB) with a concert by Still Time.

My Friend Dave's band Central Currency was the first opener, followed by a band that to be honest I can't remember the name of and it isn't on the website. But it started with a Z and they were from Sacramento! Also they had a rapper come up during their set and he was AMAZING.

Still Time as always rocked and they had 2 new songs that they premiered, the second was especially awesome.

here is a favorite song of mine:

Drowning Rat...

I'm a great drowning rat! School is killing me and I have literally given up everything just to keep up. I'm dying emotionally and physically though. I seem to have given up dance, food and sleep... basically every essential thing in my life. I've never had a nervous break down but I think last night was pretty damn close.

on top of more school work than any human could ever handle, I had a broken toilet, broken printer, and broken spirit. I miss dance and I miss real food not school food I buy because I literally live in the library now (no seriously they put down a cot with my name on it near Julian's coffee shop). The staff at Julians officially has my orders memorized all they as is chai or coffee, dirty or straight and how bad. that brings about only a few options:

how bad = medium or large

chai or coffee (chai latte or cafe au lait)

dirty or straight (added shot or not)

The people at Linnaea's my local cafe have also memorized me and my needs, wednesday after a breakdown I went and they guy gave me a mint brownie that I plan on marrying (no seriously it was the most amazing ever)

next week is hell part 2, pray for me to any and every god you can think of... I am

tonight however I will finish up a little work before Still Time's show at SLO Brew with Dave's band Central Currency opening and tomorrow 6 hours of rehearsal (YAY variable velocity!) then shower at school and head to the library (I know you're shocked!) for a meeting then who knows... probably more studying let's be honest.

also I think I'm growing an ulcer, I don't know if that's how it works but I feel like I'm having a coffee baby that will become an ulcer. good thing I don't smoke or my heart palpitations would possibly grow to make my heart actually explode from stress.

Just remember... SARAH LAWRENCE! SARAH LAWRENCE SARAH LAWRENCE...