Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions 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 substance, drawing ideas from literature, music, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined 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 projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
