Balla Productions is a newly founded cultural association based in Switzerland, established and led by choreographer and transdisciplinary artist Ivana Balabanova. Building on more than 15 years of experience in cultural management, project development, and community-building, the association supports contemporary performances, transdisciplinary creations, and international collaboration with a socially engaged and politically conscious approach.

Ivana has led numerous large-scale cultural initiatives, including international festivals, educational platforms, and socially engaged projects supported by institutions such as UNICEF, the Swiss and U.S. Embassies, and USAID. She has successfully realized complex productions, grant-funded programs, and collaborative networks, while actively fostering the growth of local and regional dance communities.

As the founder of the Beatrix Cultural Center in Skopje, North Macedonia, she established a pioneering platform for urban and contemporary dance education, promoting recognition of local artists, international networking, and cultural decentralization. Key initiatives include Tanz.Transformator – Reimagining Our Dance Community, supported by the Swiss Embassy in Skopje, which had a significant impact on the professional local dance scene by creating opportunities for employment and engagement for young graduates in a country without national dance institutions.

Ivana is the recipient of the USAID Youth Civic Engagement Award (2021) for her contribution to strengthening civic participation through art. In 2020, she was selected as a UNICEF Youth Ambassador, representing culture and youth engagement at the Council of Europe in Brussels during the event “It Takes Two to Tango.”

With Balla Productions, Ivana now extends this vision within the Swiss context—creating a platform that connects artistic voices across geographical boundaries, highlights underrepresented perspectives, and fosters structures for creation, education, and cultural exchange.