In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint 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 smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, 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."
Ball's upcoming featured role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, 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 conventions is interesting, but just pretending 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 loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He probably has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
