Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional turmoil 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 as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. 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, music, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit 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 multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
