Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood 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 loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed 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, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, 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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal 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." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
