In the quiet ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for heroic characters and partnering. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal 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 top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling substantial characters, 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."
Ball's next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his mental process while performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see clips from his projects and photos that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response 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 compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has about decade of performing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
