In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel 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 challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 meaning, drawing ideas from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps 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 biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
