In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental process during performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Influences
Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just acting 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, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? 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—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has another ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
