In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging 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 aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also favors staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat 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 interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
