Within the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially 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 appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his cognitive workflow during execution. Even in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also 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 thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
