In the hushed atmosphere 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 plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and partnering. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty characters, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his mental process while performance. Yet in lighter works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was 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 fanatical," he remembers.
The next challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is interesting, but just acting 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces 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 resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "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 interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
