PRESENCE REMAINS

A SCHOOL FOR THE PRACTICE OF ATTENTION

PRESENCEREMAINS

A school for movement, awareness and relational practice.

Presence Remains explores how human beings perceive, move, relate, respond, regulate and remain present under changing conditions.

Zürich · founded by David Suivez

Explore the school View programmes
Companionship for clinics and private clients

Presence Remains is a school for practising attention through movement, play, bodywork, relationship and direct experience.

We explore how presence changes the way we perceive, respond, move and meet one another.

The work takes place through workshops, individual practice, artistic formats, institutional collaborations and companionship. It is an evolving field of practice and research—not a fixed method.

What remains when you stop trying to improve the moment?

A question for this visit
00

AN ORIENTATION

Presence is not an idea.

Presence is physical.

It appears in the way we breathe, listen, hesitate, approach, withdraw, touch, speak, interrupt, wait and respond.

It can be felt in the distance between two people, in the organisation of a group, in the quality of a movement and in the moment before a decision becomes action.

Presence Remains creates conditions in which these patterns can be observed and practised directly.

01—08

FIELDS OF PRACTICE

One field. Several entrances.

Presence is explored physically, socially, artistically and philosophically.

01

Movement

Movement is used as a method of perception rather than performance. We work with weight, rhythm, orientation, coordination, effort, stillness, contact and spatial awareness—not to execute correctly, but to notice how movement is organised.

02

Play

Play creates conditions in which habitual identities can loosen. Games, improvisation and structured encounters let us practise spontaneity, decision-making, boundaries, cooperation, refusal, commitment and response.

03

Relationship

Relationship is treated as a practice. We explore listening, projection, agreements, conflict, repair, consent, responsibility and the capacity to remain present while another person has a different experience.

04

Awareness

Awareness is not presented as relaxation. It is the ability to perceive sensation, thought, emotion, environment and interpersonal dynamics without immediately collapsing them into one interpretation.

05

Bodywork

Touch, pressure, movement and stillness support perception, grounding, physical ease and nervous-system regulation. Sessions use clear communication, professional boundaries and continuous consent.

06

Koans

Traditional and contemporary koans become embodied research prompts. A question may be explored through movement, conversation, drawing, silence, touch, rhythm or daily observation.

07

Circles

A circle changes how attention is distributed. Sharing circles and facilitated conversations practise listening without fixing, speaking from experience, respecting silence and owning one’s contribution.

08

Artistic practice

Music, darkness, photography, movement, performance, documentation and spatial composition are used to investigate attention and collective experience across cultural, educational and performative settings.

01

THE SCHOOL

A school without a fixed curriculum.

Practice, study, repetition and shared inquiry—without a belief system or one certification path.

01How do we know what we are experiencing?

02What changes when attention enters the body?

03Can intensity exist without violence?

04Can care exist without control?

05How does a boundary become visible?

06What happens when nobody performs competence?

07How do groups regulate themselves?

08What remains when explanation ends?

Practice

Direct physical and relational experience.

Study

Texts, koans, conversations, observation and reflection.

Application

Awareness brought into work, relationships, creative processes and everyday decisions.

Research

New formats across movement, art, education, hospitality and care.

SCHOOL PRINCIPLES

  1. 01Direct experience before explanation.
  2. 02Awareness without self-surveillance.
  3. 03Boundaries create information.
  4. 04Consent is continuous.
  5. 05Regulation is relational as well as individual.
  6. 06Play is a form of intelligence.
  7. 07The body is not an object to overcome.
  8. 08Discomfort is not automatically danger.
  9. 09Safety is not the absence of intensity.
  10. 10No method replaces personal responsibility.
  11. 11Presence cannot be performed.
  12. 12Practice continues outside the room.
02

PRACTICE

A structure that serves the room.

Not every session uses every phase. The sequence is a working frame, not a rigid formula.

01

Arrival

Orientation to the room, body and current state.

02

Attention

Observation of breath, sensation, space and impulse.

03

Activation

Movement, play, rhythm, contact or a practical task.

04

Encounter

Partner work, group practice or relational inquiry.

05

Interruption

A koan, constraint or shift that interrupts habitual strategies.

06

Integration

Stillness, writing, conversation, bodywork or reflection.

07

Translation

Identifying what can be carried into daily life, art or relationship.

03

PROGRAMMES

Formats for bodies, relationships and institutions.

Public workshops, private practice and collaborations are developed according to context.

01

Presence Remains

Movement, Play and Creative Presence

A workshop in embodied attention, movement intelligence and relational awareness.

Participants move between individual exploration, partner work, group games, improvisation, breath, contact and reflection. The work develops physical presence, spatial awareness, boundary recognition, responsiveness, co-regulation, embodied listening and artistic decision-making.

IndividualsGroupsArtistsInstitutionsTeams
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Adaptable · low to active
Accessibility
No previous movement experience required. Practices can be adapted in conversation.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
Participation and contact remain optional and specific. Not a substitute for healthcare.
Enquire about this format
02

Playfight

Contact, Boundaries and Aliveness

A structured physical practice combining play, contact, resistance and clear rules.

A direct study of how we approach intensity, express yes and no, use force, withdraw, compete, cooperate and remain connected under pressure. The practice is consensual, facilitated and adjustable to different capacities.

IndividualsGroupsArtistsInstitutionsTeams
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Active · individually adjustable
Accessibility
Alternatives to full physical participation can be agreed beforehand.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
Not martial-arts training or uncontrolled fighting. Acute injury or medical uncertainty requires prior professional advice.
Enquire about this format
03

Open Dance

Movement in Near-Darkness

An immersive movement and music format in near-darkness.

Without mirrors, choreography or social display, attention shifts towards sensation, rhythm, imagination and internal movement. The format may include an arrival circle, guided orientation, extended sound journey, free movement, stillness and a closing circle.

IndividualsGroupsArtistsInstitutions
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Self-directed · quiet to active
Accessibility
Low-light conditions are central. Access requirements should be discussed in advance.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
Not a party, class or ecstatic-dance format. No autoplay, photography or social display within the practice.
Enquire about this format
04

Relationship Agreements

Making the Implicit Visible

A structured workshop for couples and relational partners.

Participants examine the assumptions and agreements already shaping their relationship. Themes can include time, closeness, autonomy, communication, conflict, intimacy, sexuality, friendship, money, care, social life, parenting, digital boundaries and repair.

CouplesPrivate settings
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Conversational · reflective
Accessibility
The format can be adapted to different communication needs and relationship structures.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
No ideal relationship model is prescribed. This is not couples therapy or crisis intervention.
Enquire about this format
05

Sharing Circle

Attention Without Performance

Honest speech, collective witnessing and interpersonal attention.

Speak from experience. Listen without fixing. Respect silence. Stay responsible for your contribution. No performance is required. Formats can be developed for men, mixed groups, organisations, communities and specific themes.

IndividualsGroupsInstitutionsTeams
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Low physical intensity
Accessibility
Speaking is invited, not required. Silence remains a valid form of participation.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
Confidentiality is agreed but cannot be guaranteed as an absolute in a group setting. Not group psychotherapy.
Enquire about this format
06

Bodywork Sessions

Touch as Attention

Individual sessions using touch, pressure, movement, stillness and embodied listening.

Sessions combine influences from Yoga Thai Massage, movement practice, fascia work, deep tissue, pressure-point work and embodied listening. Intentions may include physical release, grounding, rest, increased body awareness and integration after demanding experiences.

IndividualsPrivate settingsClinics
Duration
On request
Group size
On request
Location
Zürich or on request
Language
English · German by agreement
Physical intensity
Quiet · individually agreed
Accessibility
Adapted through conversation and continuous feedback.
What to bring
Comfortable clothing; details follow with confirmation.
Boundaries
Non-sexual and non-medical. Does not replace physiotherapy, psychotherapy or healthcare.
Enquire about this format
04

KOANS

A question that remains active.

A koan is not a riddle to solve. It begins after the obvious answers have been exhausted.

Carry one question into movement, relationship or daily observation.

01What remains when you stop trying to improve the moment?

02How does the body know before you do?

03Where does a boundary begin?

04Can you stay without holding on?

05What changes when nobody is watching?

06What are you protecting when you say you are being honest?

07How much effort does this moment require?

08Can you meet resistance without making it an enemy?

09What happens before you call something fear?

10Who are you when you are not explaining yourself?

11Can you listen without preparing a response?

12What is intimacy without access?

13What is strength without force?

14What is care without management?

15Where does your movement end and the room begin?

16What becomes possible when you stop performing safety?

17What remains when the method is removed?

05

A DISTINCT BRANCH

Companionship

Continuity, presence and integration for clinics and private clients.

Discreet, non-therapeutic support through periods of recovery, transition, instability or reorientation.

The work can complement medical, psychotherapeutic, coaching, hospitality or family-office structures. The Companion does not diagnose, treat or replace clinical professionals. The role is relational, practical and integrative.

01

For Clinics and Institutions

A continuity layer between treatments, appointments and everyday life.

  • Residential treatment and rehabilitation
  • Post-treatment integration
  • Longevity and private medical settings
  • Client transition and aftercare
02

For Private Clients

Discreet presence when ordinary functioning continues externally while life feels less stable internally.

  • Major transitions, relocation or loss
  • Recovery and reorientation
  • Demanding travel or social isolation
  • Rebuilding structure and daily rhythm
Enter the Companionship Programme Make a confidential enquiry
06

ABOUT

David Suivez

Founder and principal practitioner of Presence Remains.

David Suivez is an interdisciplinary artist, facilitator, movement teacher, bodyworker and presence companion based in Zürich.

For more than twenty years, he has worked across cultural, educational, performative, social and private contexts in which attention, atmosphere, self-regulation and interpersonal sensitivity are central.

His practice brings together movement, yoga, Playfight, bodywork, music, photography, relationship work, circles and artistic research. He studied Photography and Media Arts at Zurich University of the Arts and has worked internationally as a DJ, performer and facilitator.

Since 2012, he has taught yoga and movement in settings ranging from individual instruction to cultural institutions and public programmes. Since 2016, he has organised Movement Masterclasses with international teachers and developed formats including Open Dance and Presence Remains.

His role is not to provide answers for people, but to create conditions in which more precise perception and response become possible.

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

Art BaselKunsthaus ZürichKunstmuseum LiechtensteinTanzhaus ZürichUniversity Hospital ZürichTherme ValsZurich University of the ArtsGucciIWCNikeAdidasLululemonSamsungSwarovskiBlackRockCarmignac
References available on request.

TRAINING AND PRACTICE

  1. 01Photography and Media Arts, BA — Zurich University of the Arts
  2. 02Yoga teacher training — Zürich and Ubud
  3. 03Yoga Thai Massage
  4. 04Long-term Playfight practice and international camps
  5. 05Systema workshop practice
  6. 06Radical Honesty
  7. 07The New Tantra
  8. 08International School of Temple Arts
  9. 09Vision Quest
  10. 10Ongoing bodywork, movement and relational research

Training backgrounds inform the work but are not presented as clinical qualifications.

07

CALENDAR

Public dates and ongoing work.

Workshops, circles, movement formats, private sessions and institutional collaborations.

No public dates are currently listed.

Private sessions, collaborations and institutional formats remain available by enquiry.

Make an enquiry
08

CONTACT

Begin with a conversation.

For individuals, groups, cultural organisations, educational institutions, clinics and selected private settings.

Enquiries can concern workshops, individual practice, bodywork, relationship formats, artistic collaborations, guest teaching, institutional programmes, companionship and private commissions.

David SuivezZürich, Switzerlandsuivez@gmail.com davidsuivez.com
Confidential companionship enquiry