Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear as powerful gods, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. With delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental process during execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic 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 precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
