Tom Ott began folk dancing in 1978 with the Northwestern University student group during his last year of graduate school there. When he moved back to Michigan later that year, he started attending the Detroit Folkdance Club, and a year later became a member of their (occasional) local performing group.

When the club disbanded in 2003 he joined the Old World Dance Club in Ferndale, Michigan, eventually becoming the substitute leader for the regular Friday sessions and the leader of the smaller Monday group affiliated with the club. Tom has attended folk dance camps and workshops in Michigan, and finally made it to Door County in 2019 after his retirement as a university chemistry lecturer.