In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his cognitive workflow during execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "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, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has another decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
