Translation needed

ヲタ
Wikipedia

踊りそのものではなく、特定ファンによく見られる特徴的な行動に対し、揶揄やジョーク（時には敬意）を込めて...

Is that what separates ordinary fans from "wota"? That the "wota" are often subject to ridicule? Does the word "wota" carry a negative connotation? What is the general Japanese opinion on "wota"? Thanks a million.

"Wota" is another way to write "ota" = "otaku," meaning fans that are *really, really* into someone/something.

Please be careful not to quote only parts of sentences... this definition that you have seems to be a part of the long explanation on "wota gei" ("otaku gei" - otaku performance/behaviors). The whole thing needs to be read together.

オタ芸（オタげい）とは、アイドルのコンサートや路上パフォーマンスにおいて、一部のオタクが行う、独特の掛け声や派手な動きを伴なう踊りのことである。オタクをヲタクと赴Lすることから、「ヲタ芸」と赴Lされることもある。また、踊りそのものではなく、特定ファンによく見られる特徴的な行動に対し、揶揄やジョーク（時には敬意）を込めて、「オタ芸」としての呼称をつけることもある（#オタ芸用語を参照）。アイドルが歌唱の中で行なう振りと同一である事もある。

"Ota gei" refers to dances, accompanied by particular voices or quite flashy movements, done by some of "otaku" fans on the occasions of concerts or roadside performances of their idol singers/performers. As "otaku" is often written as "wotaku," "ota gei" can be written as "wota gei" as well. Also, the phrase "ota gei" may be used to refer not to dances, but to peculiar behaviors observed with some fans, jokingly (and at times with respect). The dances may be idential to the choreograph that the idol singers/performers do during their songs as well.

Thanks...but if ''wota'' is another way to write ''ota'' = ''otaku,'', then doesn't the term ''wota'' carry the same negative connotation as ''otaku''?

Wiki
Otaku

In modern Japanese slang, the term otaku refers to fan of, or is specialized in any particular theme, topic, or hobby. Common uses are anime otaku (a fan of anime ) and manga otaku (a fan of Japanese comic books or manga), pasokon otaku (personal computer geeks), gēmu otaku (playing video games), and wota (pronounced 'ota', previously referred to as ''idol otaku'') that are extreme fans of idols, heavily promoted singing girls.
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''otaku'' is the honorific word of taku (home), right? Isn't it negative in meaning as it's used to refer to someone who has an unhealthy obsession about a subject to the point of not leaving home? I read somewhere that calling someone an ''otaku'' in Japan is an insult, because it implies that their social skills have never even developed. Is that really the case?

Anyway, my understanding is that the same reasoning can be applied to the term ''wota'', because it can as easily refer to a creepy, and obsessive stalker who has nothing better to do with their life.

Did that make any sense?