In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Even in lighter works, 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 following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, 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 confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. 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 challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
