In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is interesting, 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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "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 created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched 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 cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
