In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences
His determination stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is interesting, but just pretending 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.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
