In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for princely roles and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 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. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive process while execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces 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 usually paired 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. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
