In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially 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 starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his mental workflow while execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is creating 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 thing 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, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "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 multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
