Raised in Milwaukee, having earned an MFA in dance from UWM, and nowliving in New York City,Ott has perhaps composed a letter home about a stage in her life's journey. Herprogram notes describe a process from naïve faith that talent and desire areenough to reach one's goals, through depression and confusion, to a balancedview achieved in communion with others. The concert ends with a group dancecelebrating collectivity, the twins of vanity and self-doubt overcome.
Although these arepoignant ideas, I'm sorry that the concert didn't work for me. At the curtaincall, as Ott sweetly thanked the full house, a dancer gave her flowers withunguarded affection. This touching moment was in contrast to the narratedemotions of the dancing. There were passages of loveliness and intrigue, but Inever felt close to the dancers because the controlled, repetitive, tamechoreography did not individualize them. The partnering could have been muchmore meaningful. It's a young company and the work may deepen. Atmosphericmusic was used to create mood; Diana Yourke's unaccompanied singing wassplendid.
