Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Influences
Ball's determination stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired 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. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? 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 seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
