Jessica Gerdel
The Art of Encounter
A monthly date of mindful movement and somatic practices for couples who want to cultivate togetherness
The Art of Encounter is a monthly couples workshop in Vienna facilitated by Jessica Gerdel (movement facilitator grounded in somatic practices and relational embodiment. Jessica creates calm, guided spaces where couples can slow down and reconnect beyond habits and roles).
Through simple guided invitations based on mindful movement and somatic practices, couples can slow down, reconnect, and feel more present together in their relationship. No prior experience with movement is required, only willingness to meet and see each other through a different lens.
Connection doesn’t disappear.
It becomes harder to feel when life moves too fast.
The Art of Encounter is an invitation to slow down, listen more closely,
and tend the space where the relationship thrives.
Life in the city can be rich and challenging at the same time: busy agendas, rhythms shift, and schedules don’t always align.
Many couples care about their relationship but lack space. Often carrying the added layer of language, cultural or lifestyle differences, it can be challenging to find a common ground in communication styles, values or ways of expressing closeness.
The Art of Encounter offers a simple, contained, and nourishing monthly pause for couples to slow down, reconnect, and practice being together. A return to sensing, listening and meeting each other beyond language, roles, habits and expectations.
A space to step out of “doing”, into presence, to meet again by learning how to be with what is already here.
The essence of the work
The Art of Encounter emerges from a belief that togetherness can be practiced,
and that even small shifts in attention can create meaningful change.
This journey centers on the capacity to meet yourself, your partner and the relationship as a living process.
Over a series of monthly sessions, couples are invited into a steady rhythm of attention and care for their relationship. The work is grounded in being, moving, and simple guidance, so connection does not rely only on words. This is not about diagnosis, performance or intensity. It is a steady meeting point for attention, choice and care.
Rather than working through analysis or problem-solving, couples are supported in cultivating relational awareness. From this place, connection can emerge naturally and bring a deeper sense of presence and ease together, renewed curiosity and aliveness in the relationship, confidence navigating closeness and distance, and a felt sense of “us” that can hold space and difference without disconnection.
Each workshop offers a dedicated time to pause together in a guided, held space.
The structure is intentionally simple and consistent, allowing trust and depth to unfold over time.
While each session stands on its own allowing flexibility, the yearly arc supports integration, continuity, and likelihood of a lasting impact, maybe becoming a ritual for the two of you: a monthly embodied date for your relationship.
What happens in a session?
Each session follows a clear and gentle structure, so you always know where you are and what’s being asked from you. You can think of it as a structured time to be together with attention, rather than a workshop where you’re taught techniques.
Sessions usually include:
💫 Time to arrive and settle, individually.
💫 Simple guided invitations to notice breath, sensations and attention.
💫 Moments of movement or stillness, at your own pace.
💫 Partnered experiences that invite listening, proximity or shared attention.
💫 Short moments to reflect and integrate.
The Art of Encounter is not a dance or yoga workshop. There is no choreography to learn, no performance, and no pressure to “do it right”. You don’t need to know what somatic practice or mindful movement means. Most of the work happens through noticing, using stillness or movements you already know from daily life: if you can stand, sit, walk*, and are open to notice what you feel, you already have everything you need to take part.
The emphasis is on everyday movements and natural attention, not special techniques.
*The work is suitable for people on a wheelchair too, but this cycle takes place at a studio that isn’t accessible (there are 6 steps to the room).
You will always receive clear guidance.
Most of what you do is noticing.
You can opt out of any invitation. Movement is simple and optional.
Touch is optional and consent-based.
You are free to participate in ways that feel appropriate for you.
Many couples are surprised by how accessible and simple the experience feels, even if they have never done anything like this before. They often notice after attending:
💫 More ease and presence together.
💫 Greater comfort with closeness and difference.
💫 Renewed curiosity and shared attention.
💫 Simple ways to return to connection in daily life.
Who is it for?
The Art of Encounter is an experiential space for couples who are resourceful and functioning, and who wish to cultivate togetherness through presence. It is not therapy or counseling and it does not replace psychological or relational treatment. Couples in distress are encouraged to seek therapeutic support alongside or instead of this work.
The Art of Encounter is well suited for couples who:
💫 Are in a relatively stable phase of their relationship.
💫 Wish to deepen connection.
💫 Are curious about embodied or experiential approaches.
💫 Want to grow together without pressure to perform or explain.
No prior experience with somatic or movement practices is required.
When and Where?
The following Sundays from 10:30 to 12:00
📍 Zentrum Exist, Sechshauser Str. 38-36, 1150 Wien
March 8, Apr 19, May 17, June 21, July 19
(Summer pause in August)
Sep 20, Oct 18 or 25 (to be confirmed in advance), Nov 22
Join The Art of Encounter
You’re invited to a series of monthly sessions journey, with options that respect the realities of daily life while encouraging continuity and depth.
The Art of Encounter unfolds over time:
Continuity is what allows the journey to deepen between the two of you, and in the group.
Couples who attend regularly can notice greater comfort and trust in the space, a deeper sense of shared language and attunement, and more ease bringing the experience into daily life.
However, there is no pressure beyond what resonates. You’re invited to choose the level of commitment that feels right for you now, knowing that you can naturally move toward longer engagement once you experience the work, and that showing up consistently helps shape a deeper, more held space for everyone, and pave your path to deeply transform how you meet each other.
Intro / One Session
Showing up is what matters most. You’re welcome to join a single session to get a felt sense of the work before committing to a longer path, or as you feel called along the year.
€ 50 / per couple
- Includes:
- Participation in 1 session
- Option to upgrade to the Bundle or Full Journey pass
Full Journey
8-monthly embodied dates for your relationship. This option offers the fullest experience: continuity, trust, and the gradual unfolding of togetherness over time. Ideal if you value rhythm, depth, and giving your relationship a steady place in your calendar.
€ 360 / per couple
- Possible to pay on 3 monthly installments of €120 each
- Includes:
- 8 monthly sessions (Pause in August)
- Priority access and guaranteed place
- A consistent container that deepens over time
Short Journey Bundle
3- or 5-Session Pack. For couples who want continuity with flexibility. This option offers a middle ground: enough time to start integrating the work, without committing to the full cycle right away.
€ 145-235 / per couple
- Ideal if your schedules are variable
- Includes:
- Your choice of 3 or 5 sessions within the 2026 program
- Option to upgrade to the Full Journey pass
Not sure what option to choose?
That’s completely natural. If you’re curious but unsure, starting with a drop-in or short bundle is a good way to listen to what feels right for you and for your relationship.
If you’d like guidance, you’re welcome to reach out with questions before registering.
You don’t need to know how the journey will unfold, only whether you’re willing to show up together.
Happy to meet you
Hi! I'm Jessica
It’s time to introduce myself. They say that’s how I earn your trust. I think it happens in person and along time, when we get the chance to meet each other and go beyond preconceptions. It’s natural though that you’d like to know who I am before trusting me something as precious as the bridge between you and your partner.
You and I are more than our names and professions, but it’s the common starting point, right?
You might like to know I’m a movement facilitator with a varied list of training and qualifications, working with a mindful, embodied approach to learning and being in the world. Beyond the diplomas, I create spaces where people can slow down, arrive in their bodies, and reconnect with what is already present.
Coming from a background in social sciences and a very intellectual life path (I used to be a University teacher and academic consultant for a specialized UN agency), my relationship with movement began with Tango Argentino, a dance of listening and encounter that taught me that true connection begins in the body. It expanded into yoga, conscious movement practices, and somatic education. After more than a decade on this path, here I am, ready to help you and your partner meet in a special way.
That’s fast said, but we know the twists and turns of life aren’t quick or linear.
If you like detailed stories, keep on reading, or click here to head straight to registration and ask me in person how I got here 🙂
When it all started, I had no clue where joining a dance class would take me.
Through Tango Argentino I became aware of how disconnected I was from my body, and how the dance was opening that door for me.
Being a very rational person (academic overdose included: three university degrees, went through a Master’s program and half of another one… just to start the list), body and emotions were like two invisible islands for me.
Long story short, life took me to become a certified Tango Argentino instructor in Buenos Aires, just out of curiosity and love for detail when learning something, as I wasn’t planning to become a Tango teacher then. Along that path, my sociological eye helped me notice that Tango was transformative not only for myself but for other people I met in the community. I started to see the dance as a powerful path to self awareness, empowerment, connection, creativity, and joy.
I grew curious. How a dance can impact in such ways other aspects of life?
I wanted to understand how the body-mind connections work, and thought that Yoga could be a place to look for it. That’s how I decided to enroll in a Yoga teachers program.
I was lucky to join a school that understands it as much more than fancy poses and physical demand, and became certified as Yoga Integral teacher, an approach that trained me to choose and adapt the many techniques that exist in Yoga to what’s beneficial for the people in front of me, regardless of your previous experience or physical condition.
These learnings gave me some of the clues I was looking for to understand what happens with Tango Argentino, and many others I was totally unaware of.
My curiosity continued growing, and the doors to my inner journey opened even more.
I found myself getting certified in Yogatherapy and Kundalini Tantra Yoga, completing a training in facilitation of Expressive Body Arts, and exploring other body work approaches, like Bioenergetics, Body-Mind Centering®, Psychodrama, Authentic Movement, Contact Improvisation, movement analysis, and somatic education, among others.
From these many paths, I chose to follow a postgrad in Dance/Movement Therapy to deepen my journey. And there’s no words to tell you how it changed my life.
I got fascinated by how the body holds relationship patterns, how attention shapes interaction, and how being fully present can transform ordinary moments into meaningful ones. From there, I’m particularly interested in how relationships are shaped by a mix of words, sensations and mindful attention.
That path of embodiment and conscious movement was the most influential in my work to this date. Supportive for my self-awareness, confidence, and definitely powerful to improve the way I relate to myself and others, both in dance and daily life.
My interest in the connections between body, mind, emotions, identity, and culture, keeps driving what I do.
Rather than teaching people what to fix, I invite them to learn how to meet: themselves, each other, and the shared space that arises between them. A path that keeps unfolding and enriching my life in so many ways, now brings The Art of Encounter to accompany you in reconnecting with what is most alive in you, and I can’t wait to meet you there.
FAQ
No. Registration is required. Save your spot latest the day before the session you want to attend.
If you're signing up for a single session, the next scheduled date is taken by default. If you plan to attend a later date, please add a note in the checkout form indicating which session you're registering for.
While the full journey offers the greatest depth, it’s also designed with flexibility in mind. Some couples join the full cycle to build continuity and trust, while others begin with a few sessions and find their way into the full journey over time, or decide on an ongoing basis. You’re welcome to choose your frequency as you feel called.
No prior experience is required. All practices are simple and guided, some involve movements you already do in daily life and others aren't based in movement, always with an emphasis on choice and self-regulation. Participants are encouraged to follow a pace that feels right for them.
Somatic practices are ways of moving and training your attention to become more aware of your body from the inside (instead of focusing on how your movement looks to others, it matters how it feels to you). The cornerstone of this approach is the interconnections between body, mind, and emotions: this awareness is supportive for subtle shifts in posture and movement habits, noticing where you hold tension, enhancing emotional awareness, resilience, and overall mental and physical health. This knowledge about yourself is the ground for easier interaction with what happens outside, giving you tools to improve your responses and fostering mindful presence and trust in daily life.
Yes and no. The Art of Encounter draws on qualities that are central to both Tango Argentino (and other dances) and yoga: presence, attention, listening, and embodied awareness. If you've followed my work, you surely recognize how these principles inform the way I hold the space and guide my tango and yoga classes. Many couples have seen their relationship benefit from our work with tango as well, without this being the goal of the classes. Therefore it is intertwined in all my work. Nevertheless, this is not a dance or yoga class.
If you don’t dance or practice yoga, there’s nothing to worry about: movements are simple, everyday, and accessible. No dance, technique, or poses. And no prior experience is needed.
If you do dance tango or practice yoga, this kind of work quietly supports your self-awareness and how you meet others, on the dance floor and beyond, by deepening how attention, listening, and connection are lived.
If you're interested in learning Tango Argentino or yoga, you're warmly invited to join my other offers as well.
No. Verbal interaction is minimal and always optional. The focus is on experience rather than explanation.
No. This journey is designed for couples who are relatively stable and want to deepen connection and togetherness. The invitation isn’t to join because something is wrong, but because you want to tend your relationship with care and attention.
No. The Art of Encounter is not therapy or counseling. It is an educational and experiential practice space focused on embodied presence and relational awareness. It does not involve diagnosis, treatment, or mediation. Couples seeking therapeutic support are encouraged to pursue counseling separately or instead of this work.
Your registration is a compromise of payment —also if you don't show up and neither communicate a change of plans in a timely manner.
Cancellations are possible up to 48h before the session. After this time, a cancellation fee of 50% applies (as long as I'm properly notified. If you just don't show up, the compromise of full payment applies).
Full Journey pass holders that can't attend a session due to illness or unforeseeable circumstances, and notify me at least 24h before the session, can receive a voucher of 50% of the proportional value of the session for future use.
That’s welcome. Partners often arrive with different levels of curiosity or comfort, and this diversity is respected. There is no expectation to push beyond personal boundaries or to have matching experiences. Respect and consent are always the basis, you’re welcome to take part at your own pace.
Some practices may involve proximity or contact, but touch is always optional and guided through clear consent. There is no forced contact, and alternatives are always offered. Listening to your own boundaries is considered part of the practice.
Emotional responses are a natural part of relational experience. The space is held in a way that supports grounding, choice, and self-responsibility. This work does not aim for catharsis or emotional intensity. Participants are encouraged to seek additional support outside the program if deeper therapeutic processing is needed.
Group size is intentionally small to support a sense of safety, intimacy, and care for the shared space.
Only you can know if a quieter time together, more intentional, and focused on presence rather than consumption, is worth it what an average dinner out in Vienna costs you.
If making space to slow down and be together with full attention, instead of competing with noise, phones or habit, feels meaningful to you, the doors are warmly open.
Payment is possible in cash, bank transfer or card. You'll receive the instructions via email.
Yes. This space is particularly supportive for couples navigating cultural, linguistic, or worldview differences. The work does not depend on sharing the same communication style or relational norms. Practices are guided in clear, accessible wording, and much of the experience is non-verbal. English is the primary language of facilitation (I also speak Spanish, and keep learning German), but you are welcome to speak with your partner in the language that feels most natural to you.
Yes. The work focuses on presence, connection, boundaries, and togetherness —experiences that are common to every kind of couple. Participants are invited to come as they are, without needing to explain or justify their identities.
The space is held with respect for diversity and difference, while keeping the focus on shared human experience rather than labels.
Yes, my contact details are below.
How can I help you?
Jessica Gerdel
Certified Tango Argentino-Yoga teacher and somatic movement facilitator.
Guiding dancers toward embodied awareness, connection, and freedom, on and off the dance floor.
contact@jessicagerdel.com
+43 681 10323630
