Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive process during performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Mental Game 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 juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was 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 recalls.
The next challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He also favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement 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 explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
