Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule 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 highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a show, 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 character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following 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. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created 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 was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes 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 reflects. He likely has another ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
