Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
