Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's next featured role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's art. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Emotions
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences
His determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was fuel 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 remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "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 Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
