In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "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 embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind 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 pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality 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 art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their home company, 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 biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
