Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty 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 neural fatigue."
His next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Yet in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "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 aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near 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 level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "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 favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
