Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental workflow during execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just acting 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 inspiration from books, music, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "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 levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
