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ABOUT US

We are settlers on this beautiful land, the territory of Michi Saagiig Anishinaabe which is governed by Williams Treaty 20.  We try to tread lightly on this earth, and seek ways of actively joining the movement towards reconciliation and healing. We acknowledge and respect the Williams Treaties First Nations as the caretakers of these precious lands and waters, and aim to share our spirit of gratitude with the younger generations we teach.  It is an honour to be able to build Showmakers in Nogojiwanong where thousands of years of traditional First Peoples’ dancing, songs and storytelling have taken place.

Dreda Blow and Bruno Merz are the proud leaders of Showmakers. Partners in life and creative pursuits, we share a love of nature, travelling, and old movie musicals. We have two fluffy rescue dogs that are constantly getting into mischief, and a sweet, jolly little baby who loves to sing, dance and giggle.

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OUR BIOS

Dreda Blow dance teacher


Dreda choreographed two short ballets for children based on famous fairy tales- Ugly Duckling and Tortoise and the Hare. Both shows toured the U.K. and even ended up being adapted by the BBC for TV and one even won a BAFTA award for Best Live Action Program.


When Dreda moved back to Canada in 2018, she studied acting, physical theatre, improvisation and tap dancing. She teaches dance and drama in schools all over Peterborough and beyond... she has even taught classes in Portugal, Scotland and South Africa. Dreda still performs in dance and theatre projects... and doesn’t plan to ever stop. Dreda loves being on stage and is delighted to share her passion with the children of Peterborough!

bruno merz composer songwriter

Once upon a time in a land far, far away... a musician was born. That was Bruno! And the land far, far away was New Zealand!


Bruno grew up in a very musical family. He learned to play piano, loved to sing and from a very young age he started writing his own songs. He would even turn the volume down on movies and compose his own soundtrack over top.


When Bruno moved from New Zealand to Holland, he started releasing the songs he wrote. His single ‘Nine Sixteen’ became Starbucks Pick of the Week which meant millions of coffee lovers all over the USA and Canada could download his song for free. 

Dreda was OBSESSED with musicals when she was growing up. In fact, she used to watch Wizard of Oz every day with her face only a few inches from the TV!


Dreda loved ballet too, and began to train for hours and hours every day from the age of 10. Later, she was lucky enough to become an actual real-life ballerina and worked in a company called Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, and later at Northern Ballet in the U.K. Dreda has performed the leading role in many productions, like Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Juliet (in Romeo and Juliet), Daisy (in The Great Gatsby) and Jane Eyre. She has danced on stages all over the world including Thailand, Hong Kong, and China! She performed over 150 shows per year, for fourteen years... can you do the math? That’s a lot of shows!

His fan base grew and it wasn’t long before a Hollywood producer asked Bruno if they could use his song ‘For You Now’ for their movie Life As We Know It. Bruno now has fans all over the world! He has performed in Holland, Wales, England, Poland, Russia and New Zealand. Bruno has released two full albums and some EPs that have received millions of plays on Spotify and is always writing more.


Bruno loves to compose music. Remember that ballet that Dreda choreographed- the one we told you about? Tortoise and the Hare? Well, Bruno wrote the music for it! It was 40 minutes long and played by an eleven piece orchestra. He composed the soundtrack for a Canadian documentary too.


Bruno loves sharing his passion for music with others. He has taught musical theatre classes to kids aged 6-16 in Peterborough and run music workshops with tots too. Bruno can’t wait to create shows with the wonderful students of Showmakers and compose original songs for us to sing!

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Kat Hilts began teaching in 2007 and since then has directed several children’s choirs and school productions. With her infectious passion for music and the performing arts, Kat has inspired countless young minds to discover the joy of making music. 

 

Born into a family of musicians, she began music lessons when she was only four years old and became comfortable performing for audiences at a young age. As a child, Kat was captivated by the magic of musical theatre, and as soon as she was old enough, auditioned for as many musicals as she could! This passion ignited her desire to share the beauty and creativity of music with others, particularly with children.

 

When Kat isn't teaching, you'll likely find her hiking with her family, visiting her bees, or composing at the piano.

 

Kat is committed to nurturing the talents and imaginations of the next generation of performers and music enthusiasts. She creates a nurturing and inclusive environment where every child can shine and plans fun & engaging lessons that keep kids singing all day long! 

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Note: Showmakers is all about fun, but we’re also all about safety! Dreda and Bruno are police vulnerable sector checked, First Aid and CPR certified.

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