Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing 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 Feelings
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Influences
His determination stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to prove 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.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, 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 inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "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 strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? 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—something that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
