In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, 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."
His upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, showing his cognitive process while execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Influences
His tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He likely has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
