Blog: The Light of Aurora

How Eurythmy Helped Waldorf Grad win an Academy Award (and other takeaways from a Steadicam operator)

11:00 AM - January 27, 2026

For Sawyer Oubre, the path to becoming a Steadicam operator on award-winning films didn’t begin with a childhood obsession with movies. It began at Aurora Waldorf School, where stories were woven into every lesson and movement was part of daily life. Today, at just 28 years old, Oubre is building an impressive career in film—one rooted in creativity, physicality, and a deep appreciation for narrative.

Oubre grew up listening to stories: books on tape, imaginative tales told in the classroom, and the rich oral tradition that defines Waldorf early childhood. “I didn’t grow up with movies, not as much as other people,” he says, “but I was really obsessed with stories. I really do think that love of stories came from Waldorf. That whole early childhood curriculum is told through stories.” It wasn’t until high school that he discovered film as a medium. Instantly, Oubre felt its power. “I started with a love of stories and then found film,” he explains. “This is the coolest way to tell a story.”

After high school, Oubre spent a year at art school in Savannah, Georgia, but life took a turn when he found his way onto a film set. “I realized this was exactly where I wanted to be, what I wanted to be doing,” said Oubre. Oubre began working as a grip - a physically demanding job assisting with lighting - but one he appreciated for its proximity to the set and his ability to observe and learn.

But the pivotal moment in Oubre’s career came when he picked up a Steadicam for the first time. This filmmaking tool allows for smooth, moving shots combined with the freedom of a handheld camera. “As soon as I put one on, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he recalls. “It was this wonderful crossroads of using your body and using your mind, your creativity.”

The realization sparked a connection back to his upbringing. “How ironic it is that I grew up doing Eurythmy. All day I use spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and as a kid you don’t understand Eurythmy or what it was doing or trying to help me with. And of course later in life I choose a career that is all about movement and balance and blocking. A really excellent understanding of my body and how it moves in space. That’s literally all I do everyday. And I had this thing that totally set me up to do my thing,” said Oubre.

Oubre’s subsequent work took him through several southern film hubs—Savannah, Charleston, and Wilmington, before a move to Atlanta, and eventually to Brooklyn, where he feels that the energy of the city suits him perfectly. It also brought him closer to his hometown in the Buffalo, NY, area.

Oubre has built a career around narrative film, even when that means choosing lower-paying indie projects over commercial work. That focus led him to be the Steadicam operator on Anora, a small independent film that would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2025. “It was like winning the Super Bowl, it was bananas,” he says of watching the Oscars from Brooklyn with friends. “I just felt super proud of all the people who worked on it.” Months earlier, the entire crew had traveled to Cannes to watch the film win there as well. The success of Anora, he believes, will open doors for more indie films to gain recognition and reach wider audiences.

Looking back, Oubre speaks warmly of his years at AWS. He attended from Kindergarten through eighth grade and credits the school with forming his values, work ethic, and outlook. “It really shaped me, the man I am today. My morals and who I am as a person all come from those formative years.”

Some of Oubre’s closest friendships today are from AWS, and their careers now span real estate, tech, and business. “Kids leave Waldorf and they do myriad different things,” he says. “All of my friends have gone off, and whatever they’ve chosen, they are wildly successful.”

For families considering a Waldorf education, Oubre doesn’t hesitate: “It gives you a real, bright-eyed look at the world,” he said. “It creates people who have passion and a good head on their shoulders and are committed to excelling in whatever they decide to sink their teeth into.”