In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his mental process during execution. Yet in lighter ballets, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. 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 endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just pretending 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement 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 relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
