Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic roles and partnering. With delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered minimal ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a role, showing his mental workflow during execution. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, 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 immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once 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 confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering 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 choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "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 cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images 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 work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
