Irena Lozinska (born in 1961) is a Macedonian ballerina, choreographer, and ballet educator who has been an active figure in Macedonian ballet for more than four decades. She spent the greater part of her professional career as a soloist with the Ballet of the National Opera and Ballet, where she established herself as a distinguished performer before later developing an accomplished career as a choreographer.
She completed her primary and secondary ballet education at the State Music and Ballet School Ilija Nikolovski–Luj in Skopje, under the guidance of Professor Elisaveta Kushovska. Upon graduating in 1980, she immediately joined the Ballet Ensemble of the then Macedonian National Theatre, today the National Opera and Ballet.
Throughout her long and distinguished stage career, Lozinska performed as a soloist in numerous classical and contemporary ballet productions. Her notable repertoire includes Don Quixote, Giselle, The Legend of Love, The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, The Devil's Girl, Carmina Burana, Swan Lake, Esmeralda, Gilgamesh, and many other productions, establishing her as one of the leading ballet artists of her generation. During her career, she collaborated with both Macedonian and international choreographers and participated in numerous national and international productions.
Alongside her performing career, Lozinska developed as a choreographer. She worked as an assistant to renowned choreographers before creating her own choreographic works for the National Opera and Ballet, as well as for independent dance and theatre productions. Her choreographic works have been presented in a number of productions, among which the ballet The Wizard of Oz (1996) stands out, while she has also collaborated with several Macedonian theatre directors on dramatic productions.
Following her retirement from the stage, Irena Lozinska devoted herself entirely to choreography and ballet education. She continues to create new choreographies, children's ballet productions, and dance projects, making an ongoing contribution to the development of the Macedonian dance scene. Her artistic work is distinguished by the fusion of classical ballet technique with contemporary theatrical expression and by her dedication to the education and mentoring of young dancers.
In 2025, Lozinska participated in Iskra Šukarova's project Eternal Bodies, an interdisciplinary work exploring the place of the ageing body within the performing arts through photography and dance. Within the project, she was presented as a distinguished soloist, educator, and choreographer, reaffirming her significant place in the history of Macedonian ballet.
Through her extensive performing career, original choreographic creations, and lifelong commitment to ballet education, Irena Lozinska has established herself as one of the most prominent figures in the contemporary history of Macedonian ballet, leaving a lasting contribution to the development of ballet and dance in North Macedonia.
