In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings
What about following 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 role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "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 meaning, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
