In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial 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" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is interesting, 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: '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 audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has another decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
