Elizabeth Auclair in rehearsal with the Class of 2027 | Photo by Hannah Doerr

Artist-in-Residence Elizabeth Auclair speaks on her experience staging Acts of Light by Martha Graham on the USC Kaufman second-year BFA students. Discover the process as the Class of 2027 prepares for the Graham Centennial and Spring BFA Showcase.

By Irena Yin (BFA ’26)

What excites you the most about staging Acts of Light on the USC Kaufman Class of 2027?

“It’s been very exciting to work with the Class of 2027,” says Auclair. “They are a really engaged and energized group, and it’s satisfying to see the dancers work their way into the technique.” To prepare the dancers for a rigorous piece of repertory in just five weeks, Auclair selected exercises that relate most to the choreography. “It takes years to train in Graham technique, so I try to compress the essentials into our time together,” explains Auclair. She reveals that the dancers have been working toward mastering the physicality of Graham’s technique. “It takes incredible strength, and we’re getting there,” she says.

As a stager, Auclair finds great fulfillment in witnessing how every piece takes on a new life shaped by the unique dynamics of the dancers. She emphasizes that shared attitudes on the overarching themes and underlying feelings ultimately translate into how each group approaches the work. As a result, the Class of 2027 has brought distinctive nuances to the reconstruction of Acts of Light. 

How have you encouraged the dancers to find their artistry within Graham’s movement vocabulary?

The beauty of Graham’s work lies within its opportunities for dancers to find their individuality. As a codified technique, Graham is often perceived as being rigid. However, the intention is precisely the opposite. “Dancers are usually surprised, in a good way, when introduced to Graham,” says Auclair. “They find it far richer and more satisfying than they had expected.” Graham embraces individuality by asking dancers to strip away inessential mannerisms and affectations. “It takes courage for dancers to move as themselves and reveal who they are,” says Auclair. 

How have you guided the dancers in understanding the deeper meanings behind Acts of Light?

“With Graham, there is an immediate human connection that can be made between the movement, the shapes, and how it feels,” Auclair says . “As the dancers engage with Graham technique, the emotional connection becomes intuitive.” Movements such as contraction and release reflect internal states that are physicalized — the body speaks and tells the story. 

Rooted in the essence of humanity, Acts of Light prompts dancers to explore their own experiences. The choreography and emotional intent become intertwined, feeding off of one another. “The movement brings up the feeling, but you can understand the feeling and then go deeper into the movement with that knowledge,” Auclair says. As a former member of the Martha Graham Dance Company herself, Auclair underscores the profound nature of performing Graham’s pieces as they work intensively with the dancers’ human material. In this regard, the dancers pull from their lived experiences and apply them to a choreographic framework throughout the rehearsal process.

Why is it meaningful to pass on Acts of Light to a new generation of dancers?

“We desperately need Acts of Light in the world right now,” she says. “It’s an exuberant, joyous expression of the beauty of being alive.” The piece challenges dancers to push past their limits and discover new depths in themselves. As the Class of 2027 prepares for the upcoming shows, they will continue to discover what generations of Graham dancers have learned about moving from a visceral level.

Auclair highlights the anticipation as the Class of 2027 grows from studio to the stage and beyond. “The piece isn’t born until it’s performed on stage,” Auclair says. “The stage is where the shifts can happen internally, for each dancer and for the piece as a whole.” She explains how the stage brings the mind and body into a state that cannot be replicated in a studio. Elements like lighting, costume, and live audience members heighten the dancers’ awareness, elevating them and the viewers to another realm of experience with the piece.

Acts of Light has been an opportunity for the dancers to break past their preconceived limits. Auclair hopes this experience “leaves something lasting in these dancers — something meaningful they can carry forward in their careers.”