Ballet Star Matthew Ball on Grueling Roles and Social Media Scrutiny: 'I'm Not Protective About My Body'

Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming 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. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering 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 dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging 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 aims his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.

Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership

He also favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."