Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He probably has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
