SUCCESS rubbed off on a film student who danced with Michael Flatley before winning the Irish dancing world championships.
Jan Gaca performed on stage with the dancing legend in his come-back tour in Lord of the Dance from from October last year to January.
And a few months later, on Easter Saturday he beat 36 other hopefuls in Dublin to be crowned the men's under 21 world champion.
The 20-year-old, of Ravenor Park Road, Greenford, said: "It was really crazy. I've won other things before but because this was the world championships I wasn't expecting to win.
"I came second last year which was bitter sweet because it was the best I'd ever done but at the same time it was the closest I came to winning. So it was awesome winning it this year."
Speaking about being on stage with Michael Flatley, he said: "It was awesome - I remember watching the show when I was little and wanting to dance with him so it was a bit weird. He was pretty nice and spoke to all of us and took us out after the show."
Since taking up the sport at the tender age of three, the talented dancer has come first in the world championship qualifiers 10 times and the British nationals three times.
He added: "My nan and mum are from Ireland. We used to go to my nan's every Friday for dinner and apparently one day she was cooking and playing Irish music and me and my brother were just jumping around. So my mum decided to get us some lessons.
"I want to have a dancing school in the future. I also want to a script writer but that'll be harder. I know I could get into dancing.
"When I won my mum and dad were a bit emotional. I was fine but when my brother came up he made me cry. I did it for him as well. He also competes and I think he deserved to win it before."
His dance school Ceim Oir, based in Hanwell, are also proud of Jan's success which makes him the club's only member to ever win a world title.
Jan is keen to defend his title next year and is due to compete at the British nationals in July.
