In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive workflow during execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, 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 am very energetic in general, 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 Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination originated in early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "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 duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith 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 main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
