Meet the leaders
Miss Truus
Artistic Director
Truus Verkley is an artist and educator who has been working with children for more than 17 years. She has had the pleasure of working with students of all ages! (Her youngest student ever was 1 month old in one of Puddle of Mud's mom and baby programs and her oldest was 93 in POM's Awesome 50's, 60's and 70's dance fitness class) Truus has created and implemented arts education programs in schools in both Calgary and Edmonton and often works as an artist in residence with students. Creativity and fun is very important to her and the programs she creates, and this what she builds the 'fun-first' foundation of Puddle of Mud programs on.
Truus is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts and the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Professional training program and she has also performed all over Canada and abroad with shows such as Planet of the Senses (Bahrain, UAE) many seasons with the Edmonton based company Vinok Worldance, 9 seasons of work performing, choreographing and artistic directing with the Fort Steele Follies, and large scale productions such as The Wizard of Oz with Kimberley Summer Theatre.
Miss Mackenzie
Administrative Assistant
Miss Mackenzie has been teaching at Puddle of Mud since April of 2025. She has been a dancer since the age of three and trained in multiple genres of dance like Jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, contemporary, modern and lyrical. She was a competitive dancer until she graduated high school and has been teaching dance ever since.
Mackenzie is also currently at the university doing a BFA in Drama and as well as BA in Communications in media. She takes such pride in the arts and loves the art of dance and drama separately and together.
Mackenzie is eager to share her love of dance with students and to create a fun and exciting environment for students to explore and grow.
Mackenzie has also taken on the role as our administrative assistant
Miss Claire
Calgary Manager
Kim is a born and raised Calgarian who grew up with a passion for gymnastics, dance, yoga and theatre.
Her passion for performing began at a very young age with her family’s involvement with Pumphouse Theatre.
Kim's love for all arts led her to leave the corporate world, where she worked for 10 years, to go back to school and pursue a degree in Drama and Education at the University of Calgary.
Kim has always loved leading, inspiring, and encouraging others and looks forward to where this next chapter takes her!
She is thrilled to be the Calgary Manager for Puddle of Mud Productions!
Miss Claire truly is a jack of all trades! She can dance, act, sing, stage manage and organize anything!
Her love of sharing her craft with young minds has resulted in her teaching students in schools, fields, and computers over the last decade or so.
Claire also works with Quest Theatre and Calgary Opera’s Let’s Create an Opera Program.
Claire has traveled the province and shared her love of theatre, dance, and music with young people and has been with Puddle of Mud for many years!
Miss Marlea
Summer Camp Coordinator
Kim is a born and raised Calgarian who grew up with a passion for gymnastics, dance, yoga and theatre.
Her passion for performing began at a very young age with her family’s involvement with Pumphouse Theatre.
Kim's love for all arts led her to leave the corporate world, where she worked for 10 years, to go back to school and pursue a degree in Drama and Education at the University of Calgary.
Kim has always loved leading, inspiring, and encouraging others and looks forward to where this next chapter takes her!
She is thrilled to be the Calgary Manager for Puddle of Mud Productions!
Marlea began dancing at the age of four. Her love for dance quickly grew as she trained in the genres of ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap, and hip hop. After many years of dancing, her love for dance expanded into a passion for teaching. Marlea has been teaching for many years and is currently working towards her Associate Diploma in both Tap and Modern through the ISTD.
Marlea loves to inspire young minds to have fun and be creative through movement. She is excited to continue to share her love of dance in the Puddle of Mud classes.
Miss Marlea has been teaching with Puddle of Mud since 2018 and is also our camp coordinator