The idea of the workshop performance, as I have been presenting it in several art schools in Western Europe already, is to introduce students into the medium in a way which makes it easier, more understanding and more accessible.
The concept more or less stems from the idea whereas students learn the tricks of the trade, by copying old masters. Sometimes you'll find students gathered in a museum or art gallery, around a classic painting, which they are copying, to find out how the great ones did it to get onto paper or canvas the things we admire so much.
Just like that, the workshop introduces the work of some influential performance-artists, who have shaped the medium, as examples for students to get going.
I have compiled a list of 20 to 30 descriptions of performances by artists such as Chris Burden, Ulay & Marina Abramovic, Petr Stembera, Valie Export, Ben D'Armagnac, etc. The chosen examples all require a minimum of setup, no specific locations, no long preparation time, and no necessary equipment or material that is hard to get by.
After a brief introduction about the origins of performance art, it's roots in other art forms, and the many possibilities it opens, the list of examples is explained to the students, and they have to pick one of the examples, and repeat it, with a little improvisation, or some adaptation, or some changes to it.
This way of kindly forcing them to meet the medium takes away many inhibitions, and is a great way to get some experience, and also have a basis for further discussion and review. Generally the first contact is fearful, but as soon as things get going, the enthousiasm grows by the minute, and more actions are invented on the spot.
The day ends with a general discussion and exchange of experiences, and the exercise to work out a whole idea for a performance themselves, which you'll find under 'Performance 2'.