In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process while execution. Yet in more comedic works, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Emotions
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions 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 meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He also favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer 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." The couple aren’t usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has about decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
