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 arms muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering 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 loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a part, demonstrating his mental workflow while execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions
How does he feel following a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: 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." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 wants his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership
He also favors staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement 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 explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a different thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
