Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules 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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps 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 biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
