In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is naturally upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's next starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer intimate insights into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive workflow while execution. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions
How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an instigator for positive change."
Early Drivers and Creative Influences
Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is creating his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple ways.
Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
