In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
