In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like mighty deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, 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 designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic 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."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
His tenacity stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a thing 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 literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He also favors staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "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 duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal 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." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
