Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty characters, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental workflow while execution. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading 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 challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from books, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted form. 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
