Dance Star Matthew Ball on Grueling Parts and Social Media Attention: 'I'm Not Protective About My Body'

In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions

What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations

His determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Private Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which might be 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 Image

On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."