Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow while performance. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion 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, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's determination originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, but just pretending 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 literature, music, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of performing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
