In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate 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 recalls.
The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
