In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. 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 troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his mental workflow during performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a performance, 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 lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing ideas from literature, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring 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 admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement 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 relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of performing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
