In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive workflow while execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Drivers and Creative Inspirations
His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership
He also favors staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
