By Luke Voogt
Geelong Latin-dancing teen Ali Simpson will have a hometown boost as she vies for a place in the Victorian final of Miss World Australia.
Ali admitted to nerves before her pageant debut against 24 other women in central Geelong on Saturday.
“I think I’m most nervous about the question and answer part,” the 18-year-old said.
“But one of the reasons I did it was to boost my confidence. I’m excited about dressing up and having a go at something new.”
But the catwalk should be a cakewalk for the Hamlyn Heights local, who has ballroom danced since age seven.
She and brother Jesse have several DanceSport Australia youth titles under their belts. The pair is ranked sixth in Australia in the Adult Open Latin Division.
“We argue a fair bit but that’s only natural because we want to do so well,” she said.
Jesse and Ali’s older sister were first in the family to fall in love with dances like the Samba and the Paso Doble.
“They saw it on TV when they were young and said ‘Mum and Dad, we want to do that’,” Ali said.
Ali grasped her chance to dance when her sister grew too tall to be a partner for Jesse.
“I love the aspect of dressing up and being on the floor,” she said.
Recently they competed in the world’s oldest and most famous ballroom competition, the Blackpool Dance Festival.
Miss World’s Beauty with a Purpose charity appealed to Ali, who participated in a holiday program for refugee children.
“It’s not just about the way you look but the way you behave, your attitudes and personality,” she said.
She and her classmates ran activities for the children through Diversitat and her old high school.
“Some of the kids had only been there a few weeks and couldn’t speak English,” she said. “It was really incredible and I was glad I did it.”
Ali studies osteopathy at Victoria University and wants to become an actress.
She will compete in a runway show featuring spring racing fashions at Market Square on Saturday for a spot in the Victorian final, after her Canberra aunt suggested entering.
“She just messaged me and said ’I think you’ll be really good at Miss World’,” she said.
“It’s pretty simple – you just go online and fill out an application.”
