Dance Luminary Matthew Ball on Demanding Parts and Online Scrutiny: 'I'm Not Protective About My Body'

Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."

His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions

What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Influences

His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

The next challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic

He also favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."