Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"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 aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his cognitive process while performance. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge 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 show, when he has pulled it off? "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 self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once 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 doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering 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 challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," 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 hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? 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 "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
