In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological 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 starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Feelings
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate 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 recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level 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 are not usually matched 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. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. 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 protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
