In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly 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 next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was 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 obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "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."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
