In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. With delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive process while performance. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After 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 dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just pretending 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 inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted physique. 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 protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
