Esther Viola Kurtz

Esther Viola Kurtz is an Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds affiliate appointments in the Performing Arts Department and the Department of African and African-American Studies, and serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Music.

• Education: BM from Eastman School of Music, MM from Utrecht School of the Arts, and Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Brown University.

Her research examines the racial politics of Afro-Brazilian music and dance practices, with a focus on capoeira’s role in antiracist activism and the ethical implications of ethnographic research. She explores tensions between cross-racial collaboration and colonialist logics of extraction in cultural practices.

Recent publications analyze ethical frameworks in capoeira angola, the concept of axé in Afro-Brazilian traditions, and digital learning communities for capoeira. These works bridge ethnomusicology, critical race theory, and gender studies.