In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental workflow while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is interesting, 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 meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
