In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and partnering. With delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his mental process during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," 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 pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not 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 admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
