In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, 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 good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "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 filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces 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." They are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
