In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured 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 crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
