In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his mental process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Influences
Ball's determination originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting 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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," 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 duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
