In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well 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 flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He probably has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."