In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a performance, 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 self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's determination stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is compelling, but just acting 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 meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality 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."
