In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was 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 fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "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 meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he care that the response 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 states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
