Performance Works

Puppik Dance
Performance works


Justine Reeve (aka Puppik) creates dance theatre performance work that reveals the diverse state of existence exploring the unhinged aspects of the human condition. These works are aimed at audiences aged 11-18, to encourage dance appreciation, knowledge and understanding of creative processes, to provide ideas and themes for their own choreography. There is an on-going exploration of the relationship between movement, text, film, music and comedy and how these forms can be used to reveal a mischievous and poignant expression.

When creating Justine collaborates closely with the dancers throughout the creative process recognising and at times incorporating the unique aspects each collaborator adds to the process as she finds these relationships beguiling. Exploring dance improvisation tasks, structures and tools as a way to create dance.

Reeve's work is characterised by a distinctive handling of fluid, gestural and natural repetitions, a love of contemporary dance, combined with vocal characters, a sense of the dramatic and need to involve the audience.

LIVING IS DANCING
2018

Living is dancing is a wry, honest and eccentric look at what it is really like to be a professional dancer. Living is dancing explores the desire that dancers have for finding performance work, voyeuristically watching three dancers trapped in the audition process. It embodies a time when you are at your most optimistic, naive, venerable, full of energy, self-conscious but determined to spend a lifetime in dance, before you grasp that nettle.

It is also a metaphor for the stress and compliance of exam preparation, mocks and of being trapped within a system. 

Performed by the dancers from the Puppik apprentice dancer programme and aimed at KS3/KS4. 

OUTSTANDING AND TACTICS
2017

Outstanding AND tactics’ is a spoof lecture style CPD (continued professional development for those that have been spared so far). The audience play the part of the conference delegates being promised tips, realistic practical advice and eclectic fragmented guidance on how to minimise stress and disjointed ideas that could aid student achievement in dance and beyond. Instead they will discover that those that teach actually CAN as Justine brings to life her 20 years embedded in dance education with all the necessary rigour and pain. 

 Tea, coffee and a single biscuit provided.

 ‘At last teaching doesn’t have to mean you’ve failed any more’.

TOMBOLA
2016

Justine Reeve invites you to become a member of the studio audience for ‘Tombola’, a fictional game show where no one ever wins and no one ever leaves. Discover who the characters are, what their hearts really yearn for what the backstage CCTV camera will reveal. Tombola uses dance, comedy, text and film to reveal the internal monologues of this cast of engaging yet off kilter characters. Inspired by Tennessee William's 'Camino real', several of the layers of Dante's inferno and the voyeuristic nature of modern television. Dancers fuse contemporary dance with the comedy sketch format producing a character led work that is at times participatory, at times voyeuristic, at times surreal employing snappy dialogue, witty dance and nonsensical moments that are existentially aware. 
This is a love story.

HATSTAND
2014

Hatstand is a short 'domestic noir' dance theatre experience that explores a dysfunctional relationship where 'playing games' and tidying up after your partner can take you over the edge. The dancers present moments that are re played, re ordered and using verbal and physical dialogue they will bring you into their domestic life as a voyeur. With an original score created by Paul Sandrone (The Mummers) the piece is performed by Justine and long time collaborator Corey Baker (Ballet Boyz, Marc Brew, Rosie Kay)

'Witty dialogue and witty dance which perfectly encapsulated the dynamics of a couple's relationship which had become dysfunctional. It was very different and surprising in a good way - the nonsensical element had my two six year old companions giggling.....and the audience clearly enjoyed the performers integrating them into the shows narrative.'

PERCEPTION OF PERFECTION
2012

A 8 minute duet we are voyeurs to the complex relationship developing between two men as they struggle to find their place in the relationship. One, the obsessive, has a compulsion to create an order, which is only judged by himself. The other, a narcissist in his conceit, requires qualification from others. Both perfectionists attract each other’s interest. Within their complexities are imposed ideals some harvested from history and some taken from observations of you during the performance.

How two different people can work together to become in sync, or maybe even friends.

"Disjointed" is the word that springs to mind, though not necessarily in a bad way. Its dance style is discontinuous, full of hitches and wrong-footings. Very baffling, but sometimes tantalisingly so.' Sanjoy Roy

SMACKS OF NAFF

Smacks of Naff was initially created as a documentary-style intelligence gathering of glass-ceiling issues in contemporary dance that follows five choreographers along an untrodden path to an unknown destination. 

Intended to bring the issues of the day to light (funding, glass ceilings etc), This non commercial venture aims to encourage new audiences to engage with dance and promote discussion amongst citizens of the dance world especially at degree level. As a a satirical look at a choreographer’s processes, principles and performances it draws heavily on Justine's affection for dance and fondness for humour.

Smacks of naff is scripted, filmed, edited and performed by Justine Reeve alongside a handful of 'guest stars'.

Now available as one episode with a lesson plan to start dance conversations with your dance students.

'Dance satire is a much needed form and @JustineReeve has it down beautifully' Nicholas Minns

'Have a watch, it’s really funny and thought-provoking' Gender in Dance.

The film below is accompanied by a lesson plan
Download the Smacks Lesson Plan

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QUOTES
'Well crafted, funny, poignant and slightly unhinged' 

Ian Abbott

'incisive lampooning, liberally punctuated by physical and oral humour' 

Graham Watts

'Reeve is a fine performer and the line she draws between performance and reality is also fine; she gets away with pointing out uncomfortable truths by offering them in a comedic routine that has us laughing hysterically.' 

Nicholas Minns

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