LOS ANGELES — Mohammad Khordadian spent days in a cramped Iranian prison cell while an Islamic court decided whether to have him hanged.
His alleged crime? Sharing his love of dance.
It was another twist in the strange odyssey of the Iranian-born dancer known to millions in his homeland for his Jane Fonda-type aerobics videos and campy dance routines.
Khordadian, 46, became the a symbol of lingering Iranian-American tension when he returned to Iran last year for the first time since 1980 to visit his ailing father.
In the nation where student aspirations for democratic reforms have clashed with the ideals of religious hard-liners, he was arrested and convicted for "promoting moral corruption" by holding dance classes in the United States.
"I had two loves in my life, dancing and my country. Unfortunately, they tried to make me pick one of them," he said.
Instead of death, the Islamic judge eventually banned Khordadian from teaching dance for the rest of his life. Though released from prison and allowed to leave Iran, he could be jailed for up to five years if he returns and is again convicted on those charges.
Now back in Los Angeles, where he is again grooving with fans, the dancer's experience provides insight into the power struggle in Iran.
"All I did was dance and try to keep our culture alive," he said.
The dancer became famous in Iranian households after moving to Los Angeles and being granted political asylum. His line of exercise videos were smuggled into revolutionary Iran where housewives relied on them to stay fit and entertained.
These days, his dance routines — a mixture of old world folklore and Hollywood glitz — have gotten frequent play on Farsi-language shows beamed into Iran by satellite television.
"Youngsters follow him because they see Westernized and Easternized dance moves in his routines," said Alireza Amirghasemi, a partner at the Persian Broadcasting Co. in Encino, which beams entertainment and news programs to an estimated 15 million viewers in Iran.
In the two decades since Iran's Islamic revolution, exiles like Khordadian have thrived in Los Angeles, home to a third of the nation's 277,000 Iranian immigrants.
It's here that Khordadian teaches Middle Eastern dance, including belly dancing, to many Iranian-born expatriates seeking a connection to their culture.
"His classes make you happy," said Guity Satey, a men's clothing retailer who has been honing her dance steps three times a week at a studio in West Los Angeles. Khordadian's classes are open to both genders unlike in Iran, where men and women dancing together in public is not permitted.
Friends and relatives had warned Khordadian that it would be foolhardy to attempt a trip to Iran. But when he got word last year that his father was ill, the dancer decided to ignore the advice. His mother and best friend had died in Iran during his absence, and fame was making him lonely.
"I go to concerts where 6,000 people come to see me. But in the end, I go back to a hotel room alone," said Khordadian. So on April 9, 2002, he arrived in Tehran.
He was taken to a room and questioned about the reason for his trip. A few days later, he was summoned to meet with an adviser to President Mohammad Khatami. The aide expressed concern that Khordadian's image was being exploited on satellite broadcasts.
Khordadian believes now that the president's aide tried to warn him of the power of the Islamic clerics who control the country's courts. But he didn't know how to read between the lines.
"They said 'Go quietly,"' he said.
After spending time with his father and sisters, Khordadian traveled to the town of Isfahan, known for its ancient architecture. Khordadian was soon spotted by fans and a spontaneous crowd of hundreds of people formed.
Back at his hotel, Khordadian found 10 men with long beards waiting. The country's religious establishment had figured out he was there.
Ten minutes before his plane was due to depart Tehran, Khordadian was arrested and blindfolded. He spent 21 days in solitary confinement in a cell that was too small for him to lie down.
He was later transferred him to the notorious Evin prison, where he spent 40 days. He was not physically mistreated during his detention but was emotionally scarred by the experience.
Still, even during his court hearing, Khordadian recalled a strange compliment from the Islamic judge, who had clearly heard of the defendant.
"'You are more talented than Michael Jackson because you can dance many different styles. Can you dance salsa?"' Khordadian recalled the judge asking.
On the Net: Khordadian's site: www.khordadian.com