A former Riverdance performer will represent Ireland at a global beauty pageant contest at Disneyland Paris.

Rachel Downey, 23, of Rolls Park Road in Chingford, will be a contestant in the Face of the World beauty pageant after winning the Directors Choice Award at the Face of Essex event last month.

The half-Irish 23-year-old is a qualified Irish dancer and has been sponsored to take part in the pageant by Walthamstow Conservative Club and Downey Academy of Irish Dance, which she runs, based in Walthamstow, Chingford and Islington. 

Miss Downey said, “I feel privileged to represent Chingford and Ireland at the pageant and I am excited to fulfil every girl’s dream of feeling like a princess, and also raising awareness for charity.”

As part of the competition, Miss Downey will perform an Irish dance and showcase a number a different costumes for a catwalk-style performance.

Miss Downey started dancing at an early age and spent over two years performing around the world with the world-famous Irish dance phenomenan, Riverdance.

The former Holy Family pupil has visited a total of 31 countries and performed alongside celebrities Ant & Dec on their ITV prime-time show Saturday Night Takeaway.

“It was great that I got to teach Ant & Dec the Riverdance backstage in the studio and they both managed to do it quite well. Dec picked it up better than Ant though,” she said.

Miss Downey performed earlier this year in front of the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, U2’s Bono, X factor judge Louis Walsh, Emeli Sande and One Direction’s Niall Horan at a testimonial event for Irish rugby player, Brian O’Driscoll.

“I am hoping that the years of dance experience I have and the fact that I’ve travelled the world will count for something at the contest”, she said.

Miss Downey will compete against 35 other women for the Face of the World 2013 title at the Paris event between November 2 and November 8.