Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, 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 inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring 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 supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
