Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, 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 loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "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 healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."