In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation 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 fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions 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 filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "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 cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
