In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Influences
His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests 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 changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, 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." They are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement 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 states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
