Dr. Emily J. McManus received the B.M. in Flute Performance (2004) from the University of Wyoming, the M.A. in Historical Musicology (2007) and the Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology/Musicology (2011) from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. While at Texas A&M University, Dr. McManus has taught History of Rock (MUSC 200) and Music in World Cultures (MUSC/ANTH 324). She is also looking forward to teaching Fieldwork Methods in World Music (MUSC 215) this upcoming Fall 2012.

Dr. McManus switches between dancing and playing in the orchestra at the March 23, 2009 "Tango Jam Session." Directed by Homer Ladas and sponsored by the University of Minnesota Tango Bridges Club and UMN School of Music.

Dr. McManus has conducted ethnographic research on Argentine tango communities in Minneapolis, Minnesota and at tango festivals throughout the United States since 2006. Her research investigates how processes of cultural translation and adaptation inform performance practice among the primarily Anglo-American U.S. tango community. In particular, McManus examines how cultural symbols and stereotypes are translated by the U.S. media and actively performed and/or resisted by U.S. tanguera/os.

In both her research and teaching, Dr. McManus is heavily invested in rural and urban North American ethnography, ethnography of elites, and ethnography in everyday life. She enjoys incorporating ethnography projects into her classes when possible and hopes to provide students with the opportunity to engage critically with the local, national, and international community.

Her favorite hobbies include cooking, baking, and playing with her adorable cat, Siggy. She was born and raised in Southwest Wyoming and spent much of her childhood exploring its deserts and mountains, attending rodeos, or visiting historic forts along the Oregon Trail. Her love of cities and graduate education led her to live in Minneapolis, Minnesota for four years where she met her husband and acquired a hint of a Minnesota accent. McManus moved to Texas in 2009 and has taught at Texas A&M since Fall 2010.