In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely 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 Top
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional 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 upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his mental workflow while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Influences
His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership
He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic physique. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
