ABOUT JCPA
Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts (JCPA) seeks to educate and inspire people of all ages in the various areas of performing arts including singing, dancing, and acting. Our center strives to incorporate and emphasize the aspect of performance in its curriculum by providing students the opportunity to perform in several shows a year, with professional directors, choreographers, actors, singers, and dancers.
Immersing students in a performance-based atmosphere, rather than a competitive one,n allows students to take the technical skills learned in classes and apply them in actual performance situations. JCPA's mission is to equip students with knowledge and experience to develop in the various areas of performing arts.
Meet The Dream Team
Samm Osborne
Samantha Osborne is truly a magnificent addition to the JCPA staff. Not only was she a dynamite performer in her younger days, spending years studying her performance craft at the Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts, but she has blossomed into a beautiful and humble Acting teacher. She most recently earned her Master’s in Elementary Education and is working at Shutesbury Elementary School as their performing arts teacher. She is also a certified driving instructor and has helped many local teenagers become safe and capable drivers. In the past, you may have seen Miss Samm teach tap, acrobatics, acting and at Ja’Duke preschool. Basically, if you need to learn something, Miss Samm is the teacher for you!
Eula Sagan
Dance teacher, preschool teacher, driving instructor and social media director are all titles Eula Sagan has at Ja’Duke. Before that, she started as a student at JCPA in 2004. Eula went to study psychology at Regis College, where is also joined their dance company (RCDC). That is where she started her choreographic journey and taught Beginner Jazz, Advanced Jazz and Hip-Hop. Eula took classes in contemporary, ballet, hip-hop, Latin, African dance and more. Senior year she was elected Director of RCDC and received the Sister Marie de Sales Dineen Artistry Award for her excellence in the arts. Eula continues to use that excellence as she teaches at Ja’Duke.
Sarah Van Ells
Sarah Van Ells is a senior at UMass Amherst studying Music Education and Voice Performance. Growing up outside of New York City, she performed in plays and musicals, beginning voice training at age ten. Sarah has taught music and acting at several camps including Camp Birch Hill (NH) and Croton Children’s Theatre (NY). On campus, Sarah sings with the UMass Opera Workshop and the UMass Chamber Choir, and has music directed productions of The Addams Family (UMass Theatre Guild) and The Wild Party (UMass Theatre Department). Sarah currently teaches private voice and group classes at Next Level Music Academy, and has joined the team at Ja’Duke as the singing teacher for Triple Threat workshops. She is so excited to continue learning and creating with everyone!
Kimberly Williams
Kimberly Williams is co-owner of Ja’Duke Inc. She began performing at the age of two and has not stopped since! She has been teaching for over 20 years in all areas of performing arts. She was recently nominated for Dance teacher of the Year by UDMA and has taught and inspired thousands of children in Franklin County and beyond. When she isn’t performing, teaching, or choreographing, she keeps herself busy with her four children. She is excited to see what this new year holds and is looking forward to the endless opportunities the Ja’Duke Theater will provide.
Nick Waynelovich
Caroline Burden
Caroline found her passion for dance at JCPA, and has studied and taught there ever since. She graduated from Goucher College with a BA in Dance in May 2018. At Goucher she was apart of the Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble and had the opportunity to work with guest artists in residence and faculty. On campus Caroline was the co-director of Pizzazz: Goucher’s Musical Theatre Club, as well as the Chair of the Dance Mentor program. Additionally, Caroline spent a semester studying abroad at the Accademia dell’Arte in Italy. Most recently, Caroline attended the Dance Lab New York Young Broadway Choreographers Intensive in NYC. She immersed herself in dancing, choreographing, and making meaningful connections with professionals and peers.
Currently, Caroline works full time at Ja'Duke teaching class, choreographing musicals and working administratively in all aspects.
Kass Jensen
Kass Jensen is a 2020 graduate of Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, from which they received a B.A. in dance and biology. Kass began their training at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School in 2010, and their passion for dance has been growing ever since! Over the years they have studied ballet, pointe, partnering, jazz, character, modern, West African, contemporary, and more. At Goucher, they had numerous opportunities to perform in works choreographed by faculty, guest artists, and fellow students. They additionally studied abroad in Scotland and Ghana, immersing themselves in the dance techniques and traditions of other cultures. While in college, Kass discovered a passion for choreography, and their creative work was performed in two student choreography showcases. They also served as co-president of the school's musical theatre club and choreographed many numbers for club shows. Kass is thrilled to share their love of dance at Ja'Duke as they learn and grow alongside their students!
Judy Kulp
Judith Kulp is super excited to begin another year of teaching, performing, learning and laughing at Ja’Duke. Judy has been teaching Ja'Duke students since the first Triple Threat Workshop in the basement of the old Shea Theater! But she has been teaching singing and classroom music for over forty years! She is a graduate of Smith College where she studied voice with Dorothy Stahl. She is also a charter member of Ja’Duke having played the role of Aldonza in the first ever Ja’Duke production Man of La Mancha! She has sung professionally with The Desert Chorale, a 20 voice chamber choir based in Santa Fe, New Mexico and with Mr. Nick’s Swing Orchestra and the King Phillip Dixieland Band.
Helping children sing correctly and more easily and enjoy their vocal opportunities is her passion. She loves teaching Tiny Tot classes, Children’s Chorus, Musical Theater and has been vocal teacher for the Disney classes since the start of the Jaduke Disney experience in 2007. Judy has been involved with just about all Ja’Duke shows since 1997. She has played wenches and nuns (several times!), chaperones and spelling bee winners, divas, teapots and even a singing kangaroo! She also writes children’s musicals, two of which have been performed in the Jaduke Blackbox Theater: The Fairy House and The Fairy Tea Party (or How Pirates Almost Spoiled the Day). Stay tuned for the next installment in the Fairy House saga: working title-Margaret and the Giant!
