MARY JONES – Sydney, NSW, Australia
Mary Jones devised CaraMayan over several years and launched it officially with DVDs and book at the International Creative Dance and Arts Conference at St. Andrew’s in Scotland, July 2009. Mary is the founder of the International Christian Dance Fellowship, was Dean of Dance Studies at Wesley Institute and is currently on the Board of the ICDF Foundation and directing the Foundations subjects of the ICDF Diploma for Dance Ministry in partnership with Unity College, Canberra.
Mary travels within Australia and internationally. She is available for teacher training and workshops for CaraMayan and other aspects of dance ministry.
CONTACT Mary: caramayan@gmail.com
CLARE BLAMEY — Sydney, NSW, Australia
Clare engages with God through art, dance and creation. Her heart is to share this through making spaces for creative worship and embodied prayer. She studied Art Therapy in 2015, increasing her understanding of creative expression. Clare is looking forward to forming more creative art processes to accompany the CaraMayan meditations. Clare has been dancing for 15 years, but dancing for God is her most treasured experience.
CONTACT Clare: clare.e.michas@gmail.com
DR. DEBBIE BRIGHT — Hamilton, New Zealand
PhD, MSLS (Sport and Leisure Studies), DipSpSt (Sports Studies), Dip Tchg (secondary teaching), CTT (tertiary teaching), Cert Te Ara Reo (Maori Language), NCC (National Cert. Computing)
Debbie is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, researcher, writer, editor and publisher who has trained in many areas of dance including ballet, modern, contemporary, tap, jazz, Pilates, Zumba, aerobics instructing, and Israeli Folk Dance. Over many years as an Adult Educator, dance workshop facilitator, and (mainly) solo performer in Church, Community and University settings, Debbie has gained a wide range of skills and experiences in her own and numerous other countries.
CONTACT Debbie: debbieabright@gmail.com
SHARON EREAUX — Sydney, NSW, Australia
Sharon is Coordinator of the Fitness, Well-being and Movement Meditation Network with the International Christian Dance Fellowship. Sharon teaches several forms of Christian fitness. As well as being a certified CaraMayan teacher she certified as a PraiseMoves Instructor via online training in 2012. Then in 2013 she completed training in Oklahoma, USA, to become a PraiseMoves Gold and a Mira Dance Instructor, the first in Australia. She is currently studying part time at SMBC for a Bachelor of Theology.
Sharon married Rob in January 2014 and together they enjoy keeping fit, delving into the Word of God, music and the creative arts. Along with Sharon’s son, Cohen, they have plans and dreams to build a family home and ministry centre on a good-sized patch of land just outside of Sydney. They hope to create a space that will be a blessing to many.
Sharon completed the CaraMayan training sessions in June 2013. She has enjoyed teaching some local classes as well as workshop sessions at conferences and retreats. Sharon is most passionate to help others grow in faith and strength having been through her own struggles and valley times. She knows firsthand the power of moving to Scripture and embracing the One who is the living Word.
CONTACT Sharon: sharon.ereaux@gmail.com
SARAH MARIAH GHOLIZADEH — Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Sarah is a wife, mama, singer/songwriter, Christian counselor, and a healing artist. She has lived most of her life overseas in the Middle East, first as a missionary kid, then as a missionary herself. She has her BA in Christian Counseling, is a certified CaraMayan teacher, is currently enrolled in the ICDF diploma program, and is founder of Melody of Heart, a Biblically based Inner Healing and Counseling service for wounded hearts by use of the creative arts. She has worked with women of many backgrounds, but mainly Muslim women, helping them to know who Jesus is through use of the creative arts. Having just completed her CaraMayan certification this past year of 2025, she looks forward to including it in her Counseling and artistic healing sessions with her clients and in her group workshops which she conducts both online and in person.
JESSICA GUTHRIE — Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jessica is a native of the southern United States and has been involved in Christian ministry since 1998. She started realizing her passion for praise in movement when she joined a church drama team. While seeking the Lord’s will after having two children and moving to the Chicago area, she found a Christian fitness ministry called Praise Moves and is now a certified teacher. Combining faith with fitness has become a priority for her and she has also become qualified as an ACE-certified Personal Trainer. This year she is working towards becoming a Cancer Exercise Specialist.
Jessica is married to Jeromy who serves as a hospice chaplain in the suburbs of Chicago. They have two teenage children who support them and often work alongside them in the ministry. The family originally moved to Chicago as short-term missionaries in 2009, but God led them to plant roots and stay there longer. Surrounded by people of many different faiths and cultural backgrounds, their heart is to reach out through building relationships.
CONTACT Jessica: romyandjess@yahoo.com http://www.faithintegratedtraining.com
DEBBIE HODGES — Oamaru, New Zealand
I grew up having an appreciation of dance, and how the body moves. In 2018 I connected my dance with my Christian faith, which has been a huge blessing, I have enjoyed completing a diploma in Liturgical dance studies and Teachers Certification in CaraMayan. I lead a small Dance Ministry Group called Cornerstone Collective and teach regular CaraMayan classes. I am currently studying Dance Therapy which I hope to in corporate these skills into further community classes. I have a love for Ballroom dance, Viennese Waltz being my favorite ballroom dance, I enjoy sharing this with teaching couples their wedding dances , social ballroom and Rock n roll which is a great way to get involved with people that are in our community. My work background is in healthcare and having this background knowledge with dance, exercise and dance therapy has been very beneficial. My desire is to show and help others to discover the love of God through dance, in all people, cultures, age and abilities. Coming together in unity.
CONTACT Debbie: debbie@inexjoinery.co.nz
ALISON PERKINS — Kapiti Coast, New Zealand
Ali has been dancing all her life, starting with Jazz ballet at the age of 4 and moving on to Irish Dance at the age of 7. She has been teaching competitive and social Irish Dance classes for 20yrs.
Ali was excited when God answered her prayer of how to connect dance with her christian faith when she discovered Flag Worship dance and Caramayan in 2023. Ali has a passion for God’s Word and so the combination of both dance and scripture has been a huge blessing in Ali’s life that she wishes to share with others.
On the academic side Ali has Ali enjoys teaching and is currently home schooling her two young sons on the beautiful Kapiti coast of NZ. A perfect backdrop in which to practice Caramayan.
Hi I’m Ali. Home school mum of two beautiful children, living on the stunning Kapiti Coast.
I have a background in Irish Dance and Exercise Science and have worked and trained as a dance teacher as well as a school teacher with a Bachelor of Sport Studies, a Diploma in Exercise Science and a Teachers Diploma.
God’s Word holds a special place in my heart, so discovering Caramayan and being able to meditate and move to God’s Word has been a great blessing to me. I enjoy sharing that blessing with others.
CONTACT Alison: ali1perkins@hotmail.com
SUE SUTHERLAND — Lancashire, United Kingdom
It was during a break in her career as a trainer of people who work with young children, that she took the opportunity to train as a CaraMayan teacher. She loves to teach and help others to express their Christian faith in movement and sees CaraMayan as a vital part of her ministry.
Sue has been involved in Christian dance ministry since 1991 at the launch of the Christian Dance Fellowship of Britain and serves as secretary of the ICDF Steering committee. Her first introduction to CaraMayan was with Mary Jones in 2009 in St. Andrews, Scotland, with the overriding memory, of doing one of the exercises on the beach as the sun went down. She is an author having written Leaving Bethany, the story of Martha of Bethany.
CONTACT Sue: sue.sutherland@bury.org.uk
SAARTJIE DE WET – Potchefstroom, South Africa
Starting with Ballet at the age of three, Saartjie has been dancing all her life and she has been involved in Christian Dance for the past 28 years as dancer, teacher, group leader and administrator. On the academic side she obtained her BA degree and Teachers Diploma. She joined the Steering Committee of the International Christian Dance Fellowship in 2009 and is currently one of the Joint- Coordinators.
Since 2018 her focus has been teaching Ballet for adults and Dance for Parkinsons classes. CaraMayan is the latest addition to the line-up of classes she is planning to present as a method to reach people on all the levels of body, mind, soul and spirit.
Saartjie lives on a farm in South Africa and has been married to her husband Chris since 1979. They have 3 adult children.
CONTACT Saartjie: saartjie.dewet@gmail.com
