In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his mental process during performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules 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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," 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 pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust 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 determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? 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—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
