Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences
Ball's determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is creating 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, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," 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 perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit 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—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
