Esther Balfe

Esther Balfe is a **Professor** at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK) since 2012, specializing in Contemporary Dance and Ballet. She holds a diploma from Brunel University London (Ballet Rambert, 1990) and has extensive performance experience with renowned companies like Tanztheater Wien, Volksoper Vienna, and The Forsythe Company. Her research focuses on movement modalities, improvisation technology, and collaborative projects such as the *INTRA-SPACE* initiative with Wolfgang Tschapeller.

• **Teaching & Research**: Full-time academic role since 2012, leading workshops globally and contributing to *Motion Bank* research with Scott Delahunta.
• **Performance Career**: Soloist roles in *Swan Lake Remixed* (Volksoper), *Caravaggio* (collaboration with Liz King), and performances with Fabulous Beast Dance Theater and William Forsythe’s companies.
• **Collaborations**: Worked with artists like John Gerrard, Jacqueline Kornmüller, and Diane Shooman. Recent project *Ganymed* featured students from MUK’s Contemporary Dance programs.

Her interdisciplinary approach bridges artistic performance, pedagogy, and movement archiving, reflecting her dual expertise as a dancer and researcher.