Within the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming featured role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process while performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "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 embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Influences
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation 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 challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting 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 substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
