Within the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. Possessing 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 advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming featured role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow during performance. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is creating his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, music, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
