Oh, the T-shirt tearing problem wouldn't exist in Greece, because almost all male belly dancers there dance with naked upper body
This is the Greek male-belly-dancer-stereotype: slim (or even skinny), dark tanned (so that he looks Arabian. Some of them are naturally dark though), bloomers on, naked upper body (well, some of them wear a kind of jewelry). As about doing different stuff in order to get tips from the ladies: yes, they do. But to be honest, it is fun to watch, if they can dance well
I think it is not always possible to perform belly dance as higher art form. I wish it were, but dancers who dance in bouzoukia clubs have to be good entertainers on the first place. It is almost impossible to perform artistic belly dance in the bouzoukia clubs. That's why we (this means me, Maria and some other serious Greek dancers) are trying to find other possibilities to present belly dance as an art form on stage.