Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on 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 next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a thing 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, music, and painting.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
