In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain 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 popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But 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?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
