Dance Luminary Matthew Ball on Grueling Parts and Social Media Scrutiny: 'I Don't Feel Protective About My Body'

In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, 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 upcoming featured role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Early Motivations and Creative Influences

Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

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

Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic

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

Ball has created pieces with his partner, 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 was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

On Social Media and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."