Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a thing 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 literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled 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. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
