In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, 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 intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Influences
His tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just acting 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 literature, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership
He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually paired 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 admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he muses. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
