It’s as if Ireland was just a hop, skip and jump away.

Center School is now hosting Irish step dance classes in the gymnasium as part of the Mattapoisett Recreation’s After School Programs. The class meets at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays and runs until 6 p.m. The cost is $10 per class.

Whitman resident and Ireland native Maureen Haley has been teaching the class for four years.

Rapid feet and leg movements  characterize Irish step dancing as well as dancers’ abilities to keep their upper body stiff and arms to their sides. Dance shows such as “Riverdance” and “Lord of the Dance” brought popularity of the dance style in the 1990s.

“The nice thing is you don’t have to be Irish to learn Irish step dancing,” Haley says. “It lends itself to a great development for the child. They have to think, and think fast.”

She adds that dancing is all she’s ever wanted to do, ever since she was young. She is now a member of the Irish Dancing Commission, North American Irish Dance Teachers, the New England Regional Dance Teachers and the Greater Boston Area Dance Teachers.

As the class of a dozen girls begins, Haley has some of the more experienced students display what they’ve learned the previous week. As Haley plays Irish tunes through a stereo, the girls begin to move their legs or jump in unison. Haley watches with a keen eye, looking for straight postures and pointed toes.

“There’s a lot of fun and excitement in Irish dancing, and there’s a lot of fun in teaching children,” she says. “You get to watch their progress or see them develop and understand what they’re capable of. Just seeing them gain confidence is wonderful.”

After the more-experienced students have warmed up, the new kids get a one-on-one approach with Haley, learning the basics of Irish step dancing.

Maria Lynch has two daughters in Haley’s class, Brianna and Jenna.

“Jenna just started last week,” Maria says. “She’s loving it. She practices at home constantly, with her older sister. My oldest did Irish step with Ms. Haley when she first came to town. So we’ve known about this. Brianna keeps with it and now Jenna wanted to follow along.”

She also said Haley is a great teacher.

“I think the class is laid back. There’s no pressure or main recitals. You can opt to be in competitions if you want to. But you don’t have to. And the culture is wonderful. Having Ms. Haley be an Ireland native makes it so much more special.”

Not everyone in the class is in it just for fun and games. Haley says some of the girls are taking part in dancing competitions now.

“To have your students be in competitions, you have to be a certified teacher,” she adds. “We are certified by examination. It’s very strenuous.”

“The competitions are great, and we encourage them,” she says. “But we encourage with a healthy attitude. When you’re developing dancers, you teach them how to win, how to lose, and how to do both gracefully. We’re not always going to win, but we learn concentration and the value of hard work, discipline, and commitment.”

For more information or form requests for the class, contact Gretchen MacDonald at mattrec@mattapoisett.net or call (508) 758-4100 ext. 7.