In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic 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."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller venues. "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 perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined 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 Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
