In the quiet 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. During performances, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his mental workflow during execution. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "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 embarrassed later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, 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 determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, 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, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Private Partnership
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
