In the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming starring appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.
The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "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 home company, 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 Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be a bit 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 relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
