Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive process during execution. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Emotions
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel 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 obsessive," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "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 seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
