At Carrollwood Cultural Center, a dance class that’s pretty hip

CARROLLWOOD — Sasha Lukian is going to shake things up.

With her hips and body.

She’s a life-long dancer and instructor teaching classes at Carrollwood Cultural Center, specifically belly dancing, with two sessions over the summer. Through her studies and lessons over the years, she has incorporated various styles of belly dancing, which, as it turns out, can be a surprisingly great workout.

“It can be a challenge,” she said, “but it is also fun and provides health benefits, such as stronger muscles, a healthy heart, flexibility, coordination and even weight loss. Plus, it increases oxytocin and dopamine and could, and should, boost self-esteem and confidence.