Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Influences
His determination originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" 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." "Challenging the conventions 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 literature, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be 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 biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
