Aaron Gilmore is an AIA Vitality Coach, and former professional dancer with multiple national and international awards to his name, including many as the winner of New Zealand's Dancing with the Stars. I asked him what it was really like dancing with Samantha Hayes, and how anybody can get involved with AIA Vitality:
"Talk to Lewis. Talk to a trusted adviser, seek him out. Yes, there are wonderful things we can do online, but I really love that advisers can offer that personal touch. If you haven't found that someone who you can talk to about what matters, find a Lewis."
Aaron, you’ve had a remarkable journey as a professional dancer with multiple wins on Dancing with the Stars. Can you tell me about your early days in dancing?
Oh gosh, I started as a little fella, actually with a bit of Irish dancing. But with my energy and essentially highly functional ADD, keeping my arms still was not a strong point. I started ballroom and Latin dancing because my older sister was getting married, and my mum wanted me to learn a wedding waltz. And then all of a sudden, they were like, "it's a boy dancing."
I started competing in ballroom dancing at the age of 9. Competing in Christchurch first, I danced all through my early years, through my teen years, then went to Aussie to dance. Growing up in Christchurch as a dancer was a colourful thing. I was the only dancer at an all-boys Catholic High School. And that was the mid-90s. It was a dangerous thing. So yeah, I had to keep that secret. I tried to anyway, for a good two and a half years... didn't work so well.
What was it like with the other kids at school?
So I started third form, and decided at the time I wasn’t going to tell anybody because you don't want to get beaten up. At an all-boys Catholic High School where the main sport was rugby, I had actually forgotten that I had my picture in the paper with a dance partner, and my 3rd form Dean decided to tell the whole school in assembly one day. That caused a lot of grief with a lot of innuendos.
Then when it really changed was 5th form, just a couple of years later. All of a sudden the boys were like, “Oh, you dance with her??”. They started getting interested in girls, so having my picture in the paper with a partner wearing a Latin skirt changed things. I remember thinking, you know, what the hell did you think I meant? I loved it. It was that moment with a full circle.
You won several national awards around that time of your life. What was your journey like from that stage to dancing on TV?
Straight out of high school I moved to Aussie for a time to keep dancing. I moved overseas with $500… ummm, don’t do that. It's really tough going. But I knew what I wanted to do, I just didn’t know how. My first three jobs in Australia were hilarious. I was a clown for children parties, a bug man, and a chicken vaccinator. My employer in that job actually ended up sponsoring my dance partner and me for our airfares to compete in the UK.
I saw the light and got into sales and talking. I was working for a company called Luxottica doing a lot of sales and sales training. I really got into the talking side of things. And I was lucky, because of dancing, I understood the performance and the physicality of making an impression.
I moved back to New Zealand and started working for Les Mills. I actually quit dancing for a while. I’d kind of forgotten why I did it. I was technically very strong, but I just started to lose my mojo for it. I got back into dancing from being asked to do Dancing with the Stars in 2006 after about a four-year break.
That must have completely changed your life…
DWTS definitely gave me a massive lift. It sounds funny, but I didn't actually think about the people who would watch it. And in New Zealand at the time, the finale had about 1.6 million viewers. It opened up so many avenues from not only teaching, but performance and speaking and other engagements. I used to work for rape crisis as a survivor advocate and a coach, and as an ambassador for The Asthma Foundation.
What were some of the most memorable moments from your time on the show?
I was very lucky in the first season to be partnered with Lorraine Downes. She's my sister from another mister, and we're still dear friends now. That was 17/18 years ago. Getting back into it with Samantha Hayes was definitely a highlight. I'd call the win with her first equals. As the years went on, we started considering ways to make the performances look extra good for television. With Sam, I found a creative outlet, especially with using above angles and her strength with the cameras - she was like boom, straight down the lens. It opened up a whole new set of performance opportunities.
What inspired you to make the shift from professional dancer to AIA Vitality Coach?
COVID had put on a lot of stress because we weren't allowed to connect. I teach partner dancing, and you're not allowed to connect. But I saw this AIA Vitality opportunity that I resonated with straightaway. Here's something that actually wants to lift the quality of people's lives. I noticed with the adviser community, people like yourself are having conversations that are the most in-depth conversations that people ever have. Here’s a chance to actually supercharge this and make a difference.
Tell me what Vitality is all about.
AIA Vitality is a science-backed health and wellbeing programme that encourages someone to know their health, improve their health and enjoy the rewards. It came from a South African group called Discovery Life. They saw a lot of avoidable behaviours that people didn't realise were actually contributing to some really serious health issues.
Can you share some success stories where Vitality has made a significant impact in people’s lives?
In many cases, it's saved their lives. I've had maybe four people who’ve had early detections from cancerous lumps through MoleMaps that their doctors literally told them if it were any later, it would be a very different conversation. We've had a gentleman who had an early diagnosis of prostate cancer because of irregularities in his annual Vitality health check.
There's been a lovely lady who took part in Alan Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Drinking programme, and whose kids say it's like they got their mum back. What price do you put on that?
How can people get involved with AIA Vitality and benefit from the programme?
Talk to Lewis. Talk to a trusted adviser, seek him out. Yes, there are wonderful things we can do online, but I really love that advisers can offer that personal touch. If you haven't found that someone who you can talk to about what matters, find a Lewis.
What message would you like to send to those who are just starting on their health and wellness journey?
You matter. Your life is of value. There are people who care about you and who you care about. How you show up for them and for yourself is something that you can change. All it takes is a little bit of TLC, for yourself and for them. So have at it.
Contact us here to talk to us about AIA Vitality, and how can benefit from membership.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.
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