In Conversation with MATTHEW BALL … (In-person and Zoom)

Photo credits:  (ABOVE) Siegfried in new Swan Lake with Hong Kong Ballet, by Tony Luk

(LEFT) Black and white portrait, seated in the studio, by Andrej Uspenski

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DATE:  Wednesday 9 October 2024

TIME:  7.30pm 🇬🇧

VENUE :  Royal Ballet Upper School, 46 Floral St, London WC2E 9DA

INTERVIEWER : Dance writer Sarah Crompton 

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English dancer Matthew Ball is a Principal dancer of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined the Company during the 2013/14 Season, promoted to First Artist in 2015, Soloist in 2016, First Soloist in 2017 and Principal dancer in 2018.

Ball was born in Liverpool where he started dance classes at the age of 6. He joined The Royal Ballet School at 11 and graduated through the School.  Awards as a student include at the School’s 2011 Lynn Seymour Competition for dramatic performance, the 2009 Kenneth MacMillan Senior Choreographic Competition, and the Gailene Stock and Gary Norman Award for Excellence.

Ball’s roles with the Company include Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Romeo, Armand, Prince Florimund and Bluebird (The Sleeping Beauty), Prince (The Nutcracker), Crown Prince Rudolf (Mayerling), Des Grieux (Manon), Solor (La bayadère), Lensky (Onegin), Albrecht (Giselle),  Basilio (Don Quixote), Beliaev (A Month in The Country).  In 2016 he was named Best Emerging Artist at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards and has been nominated twice for Best Male Dancer and Performance. In 2018/19 he appeared as a guest performer with Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake as The Swan/Stranger to critical acclaim in London, Tokyo and New York and was invited by Carlos Acosta to perform with The Birmingham Royal Ballet in Sir Peter Wright's production of 'The Sleeping Beauty'.

Matthew has created roles with world renowned choreographers Wayne Mcgregor, Crystal Pite, Christopher Wheeldon, Hofesh Shechter, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Kim Brandstrup and Cathy Marston. Dancing alongside and partnering international stars such as Natalia Osipova, Alina Cojocaru, Marianela Nunez, Alessandra Ferri and Polina Semionova.

In recent years he has continued to branch out as not only a versatile dancer but has featured in fashion campaigns from high end brands such as Burberry, to more commercial work with M&S. Working alongside industry leaders such as Nick Knight OBE, Gareth Pugh, Tyrone Lebone, Matthew Brookes, Erdem, he continues to grow his collaborative network and creative insight.

The nature of Film as a means of capturing movement has long held interest in Matthew's artistic process and he has thoroughly enjoyed working on film projects such as two dance shorts by 'Pennefather Productions' co-starring with Francesca Hayward and Natalia Osipova, and as 'Tybalt' in the feature length film 'Romeo and Juliet Beyond Words'. 'Nowness' have produced a feature documenting his training process at The Royal Ballet and he choreographed and performed as part of a global campaign for the technology giant 'Xiaomi' shot at The Natural History Museum.

Matthew is eager to develop his choreographic voice continuing to work with his colleagues at The Royal Ballet on several pieces for their 'Draftworks' programme (Waveform, Stay Time Awhile Thy Flying). He has created two acclaimed pas de deux for himself and his partner and fellow principal Mayara Magri which have been performed at their numerous international gala engagements and recorded by the BBC and Dance Masterclass. A collaboration with composer Guy Chambers and photographer Rhys Frampton has lead to his most in depth exploration to date of the link between film and dance making. Together they produced an entirely original solo work entitled 'Drowning Light' inspired by the myth of Icarus. New English Ballet Theatre gave Matthew his first choreographic commission in Spring 2024 which is entitled 'Acts of Exaltation'.

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This event is a hybrid LBC event.  Hybrid events offer both an in-person interview experience, as well as offering Zoom access for those further afield.

Both members AND non-members are required to book in advance, for ALL options.