🔗 Share this article

Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet frequently in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's upcoming starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental process while execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But 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. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. 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 challenge is making his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions 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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has made pieces 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 daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

On Social Media and Physical Image

On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind 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 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 lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."