Dance Star Matthew Ball on Demanding Parts and Social Media Attention: 'I Don't Feel Protective About My Body'

In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and pas de deux work. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic

He also is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."