Faculty of Performing Arts

Anyone who works with theatre in a social context is confronted with a whole range of activities and tasks, all demanding a spectrum of special, diverse competences.  Such competences cover, for example, the ability to respond adequately to others, to react flexibly to a pre-determined situation and, of course, the ability to cope with conflict situations.

The education and training provided by the Fachhochschule Ottersberg meets these requirements with tailored modules of universal applicability enabling the students to experiment with, and acquire, various performing techniques. Students not only learn to express themselves by acting or dancing, but also to train others, and to develop the appropriate concepts for this purpose.

In the studio, training classes, or small groups, mainly focus on joint creative processes aimed at not only assisting individuals to develop their own skills and position themselves, but also at cooperating with others. To achieve this end, the development of social and aesthetic competences plays an equal and decisive role.  The practical element of the course is complemented by scientific modules focussing on appropriate methods, theoretical principles and human behaviour science.

A space to create relationships

The education and training is not devoted to any one particular artistic, pedagogical or therapeutic approach. Instead, the focus is on the dialogical aspect of the performing arts, the aim being to stimulate relationships between individuals. In a broader sense, we see theatre as a place where a person’s creative individuality freely and playfully interacts with others, independent of social background, environment, social status or physical constitution.

Trying, testing, implementing

When assuming the role of another person, it is rarely possible avoid in-depth contemplation about that person, and to reflect on the conditions and possibilities of human behaviour.  Consequently, in theatre work not only acting aspects, but also other factors such as social environment, spiritual development and human dignity all play a significant role. In practice that means especially “to rehearse” and this in more than one sense of the word: To try something out, to test one’s skills, to take part in a rehearsal and finally prove oneself by implementing a particular project.

On completion of every trimester, works are presented, the idea being that students are provided with the opportunity to get a feedback from the general public on the results of their studies. The work placement and the final dissertation act as a source of valuable experience for reflection and discussion prior to the students starting their professional careers.