Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his mental process while execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created 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 resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "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—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
