In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is making his own choreography. 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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, 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 favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
