Within the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "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, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, but just acting 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, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He also favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
