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Rachel Mills came into San Francisco from L.A. Friday night, and the trip proved worthwhile.

Rachel was ecstatic following her massive win in the under-12 group but seconds after that she tipped over to IrishCentral to tell her story.

Rachel fell in love with Irish dancing when she was 7.

"When I was in kindergarten, they had a show showing Irish Dance. I liked it, but mum thought it was a phase," she says.

"But I continued shuffling my feet!" she says. After a while, her mother knew this phase was something to be reckoned with.

Rachel says dancing makes her feel as if she can take flight. "It feels like I'm flying, going so high in the leaps," she says.

While waiting for the results gives her butterflies. "When they get to calling second place, I think 'This is it,' or 'I haven't been placed'," she says.

And then there's always the schoolwork waiting when she comes off stage. "I missed a week of school for The World Championships, so I have a lot to catch up on."