Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his mental process while performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's 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: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Influences
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation 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 fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules 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 aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," 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 perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
