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In Middle Eastern culture, where the men are still meant to be manly and women submissive, being a man who dances and lip-syncs to lyrics bemoaning his broken heart requires a lot of courage. Baalbaki says that although he has been out in Beirut since his student days at the Lebanese American University, he hasn't told his mother yet that he is gay because he doesn't want to hurt her. "She heard a rumor that I was doing a strip show and I told her I was working in a bar as a cashier--my mom would not accept that her son dances in a club," he says. Although he is comfortable with his gay identity Baalbaki stressed that his message isn't about being gay. "I'm trying to prove that a man can do it, can dance in this society," he said. "I don't like to be referred to as a gay dancer, a lot of people say because I'm gay I dance Arabic, but it has nothing to do with my sexuality." He points to his chest and says, "As you see me physically I'm a man-when I'm performing on stage you see a male dancer." He continues, "I don't like to dress like a woman when I dance because I don't want to give the wrong idea-I am a man." Male or no, Baalbaki has mastered the provocative nature of his art. "Arabic dancing is seduction," he says. And it is a seduction every week on stage at Amor Y Libertad, the Cuban-style nightclub in a Beirut suburb where he performs. He wiggles his hips seductively at the men and women in the front row, blue eye shadow and glittered cheeks sparkling. The men laugh self-consciously and look around the room as if to say that they are not too enchanted by the dervish on the stage. Most of the crowd, a mixture of men and women ranging from their early 20's to their late 40's, is dancing along with Mousbah, clapping to the beat as he mouths the lyrics of the woman singing about the man who broke her heart. Next Page... ...Previous Page