Being Present with Confidence. Presence and Presentation for Phd-Students

Growing into full presence is an individual (and limitless) journey – in the workshop, we will work with every participant from wherever they are.

Schedule

The workshop runs for one and a half days; due to the structure of the workshop, participation is only possible for the entire duration, i.e., on both consecutive days.

Clear focus is an important precondition for successful work. Therefore, a first step will seek to determine every participant’s potential and desire at this moment in time by looking at individual ideas and concepts of presence, experiences with it and concrete challenges the participant wants to work on.

The second part will address the body: presence is em-bodiment. Trembling, voice loss, dizziness etc. all improve as much as a person succeeds in being (and remaining) fully present to a given situation. Observing closely and individually how the quality of presence (as well as its loss) manifest in the body is an important prerequisite for its further development. Exercises from a wide range of backgrounds in bodywork, mindfulness and improvisation will help to discover, enhance and broaden the participants’ process.

The next step will bring back the experience of the body into the respective challenge of public appearance: Mini-presentations will focus on every participant individually, being observed and described by the rest of the group. Close observation of the others’ development will deepen the participants’ understanding of their own process; the experience of respectful feedback will reduce their anxiety of being judged.

One or two months after the workshop, participants are invited to write a reflection on how they were able to integrate workshop experiences into their day to day life. Sharing it with the workshop leader will provide them with an opportunity to further deepen their insights.

Structure

Participation in the workshop is limited to a maximum of 10; there will be a waiting list. The workshop language is German and/or English, depending on the composition of the group. Since languages may be mixed, all participants should have at least a passive understanding of both languages.

On the second, longer day lunch break will be a potluck picknick on site.

Date

Dates | Thu 22 May, 2025 (16  – 19 h) and Fri 23 May, 2025 (10 – 17 h)

Location | Sitzungssaal, Akademy of Fine Arts Vienna, Schillerplatz 3, 1010 Vienna

Preparation/Registration

Participants are asked to bring a short text (max. 1.000 characters) on paper. No separate preparation except for having read it once or twice is needed; there is no restriction in terms of form or content of the text. For bodywork, comfortable clothing and a mat or blanket for the floor are recommended.

You can register for the workshop, if you are enrolled and a regular (doctoral/PhD) student at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna or University of Arts Linz. Please register until the latest 5 May via email at doktoratszentrum@akbild.ac.at with the subject "Workshop 2 - May 2025" and a current certification of enrollment. The workshop is limited for max. 10 persons (first come, first serve).

For questions, get back to the workshop leader at u.reis@gmx.at.

Trainer

Ursula Reisenberger is a theatre director and artistic head of the theatre collective “orstzeit/ local time” with site-specific work in theatre, public intervention and art. Moreover, she has been doing intercultural research into the ritual roots of theatre and systemic processes. These experiences provide the base for her interest in presence as a principal foundation of perception, reflection and action. As a teacher, she has been working with a wide array of participants, for example art students (CSM London, University for Applied Arts Vienna et.al.), scientists (think tank feedback future feed, New York, Universität für Bodenkultur Vienna et al.) and midwives (Fh Salzburg). In 2017, she has been awarded with the Austrian State Prize for Excellent Teaching.