In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow during performance. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling 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 once remarked on a "sense 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."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "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 interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
