In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel 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 obsessive," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, but just acting 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, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal 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 aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response 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 explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
