In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Influences
His tenacity originated in early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "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 loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate 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 human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
