In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental process while execution. Yet in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His determination originated in early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, 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 really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
