In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show 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 character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, 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 literature, music, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Private Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "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 Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be a bit 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 seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
