Bill Ament – he’s hip!

Bill, on the move!

Just got this press release that puts a spotlight on Bill Ament – check it out:

Bill Ament, well known in Friday Harbor as a dancer and teacher for children, teens and adults in Dance Happy and Zumba, became part of a music video released by Zimmer, a worldwide joint replacement company, who provided Bill with the product for his full right hip replacement last August, 2009.  He was recently selected along with 14 other participants nationwide to be part of this video project.

Zimmer is the world leader in musculoskeletal health and the creators of innovative and personalized joint replacement technologies.  After nearly a century Zimmer continues to restore mobility, alleviate pain, and help millions around the world find renewed vitality.

That’s exactly what happened to Ament.  After 3 years of pain and suffering, thinking that his dance days were over, Bill surrendered to a full right hip replacement. 

He became pain free, his smiles returned, and his dancing and teaching career has brought he and his wife, Rita, much continued success.  Ament made Friday Harbor history by being the first to bring Zumba Fitness to the community, touching hundreds of lives with Zumba, Zumba Gold for older active adults and Zumbatomics for kids, with 10 classes per week, plus their Dance Happy business.  This November they recently celebrated their 1st year anniversary in teaching Zumba classes on the island.

As one of the best representatives of what a hip replacement can do, Zimmer approached Bill because they were doing an “in house” inspirational and educational video for their worldwide employees, as well as presenting it to conventions for doctors, surgeons and hospitals around the globe to see the power of their joint replacement products.  Since they were creating a music video they were thrilled to feature an actual dancer in their upcoming film.  The project features former patients “dancing” in celebration of their new joints and their renewed lives.

“I was all for it.  I had written them an email to say that I would like to be a spokesperson for their company, waited for a response and then let it go. Then, a few weeks ago they wrote me, fully acknowledging me and asking me if I wanted to be part of the video.”

Last Tuesday the videographer, Vinnie Besasie, from a film production company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had flown to Washington to shoot the video of Bill in his Friday Harbor dance studio.  “I told the company that the best way to see how I dance and move with my new hip would be to film my latin-inspired, hip shaking, full of life Zumba class.  Vinnie showed up to a packed house that night.  “I felt so empowered by my Zumba people.  Everyone was so excited when they got to class to find out the film event was happening.  Some of them had seen me through my painful, limping, walking with a cane days so they knew the importance of this win.  I must have levitated that night because there was so much joy in the room.  The videographer filmed me for one hour doing close ups from head to toe and taking pictures of me dancing as I leapt, jumped, twisted, salsa-ed and did all kinds of great moves to show off my new hip and to display how proud I am to have this replacement.  I felt like a movie star!”.  He said “you are totally amazing!  I have gold in my cameras.  I thought I was going to video your class where you taught steps, gave counts and stopped and started.  I really had no idea I was filming a musical!  I have filmed other people in this project and no one even comes close to what you can do.”

“That’s what it became that night, a musical of dancing with a wild and passionate Zumba group who often express how much they enjoy this same feeling when they attend my Zumba classes each week.  They witnessed me in my passion of dancing with my new hip.  It was such a memorable moment for me and for everyone.  It was a dream come true.”  As a treat, Vinnie asked to film Bill & Rita doing a fast swing dance as the icing on the cake.  After filming he said “you two are human dancing machines!”

After Bill healed from his hip replacement (2009) he naturally counseled people who were thinking about or ready to have hip replacement.  He inspires many with joint pain to go ahead with their hip replacement and encouraged them by meeting or talking on the phone to support them with their feelings, give them advice for pre-op and visualization techniques before going into surgery, and post-op counseling on how to heal oneself in the quickest way possible.  He really makes a difference with them as they witness how he is moving, dancing and having fun in life.

Bill teaches Zumba, Zumba Gold, and Zumbatomics for kids.  His Zumba programs are Latin-inspired, dance-fitness classes that incorporate Latin and international music and dance movements, creating a dynamic, exciting, exhilarating, fun, and effective fitness system.  Bill & Rita also teach Dance Happy for ages 2-12, teens and adults at Dance Workshop II.  Call Bill and Rita, 378-9628, for their schedule.

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