In the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process while performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Artistic Influences
His tenacity stemmed from early setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "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 substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Partnership
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," 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 created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple are not usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
