Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very 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 instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules 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 loaded with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets 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 daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
