In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active 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 instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a thing 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, compositions, and art.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps 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 Physical Image
On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
