In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation 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 remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just pretending 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 meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, 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 daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "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 biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
