In the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his limbs muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can seem as mighty deities, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced minimal ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his cognitive process during performance. Even in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Influences
Ball's tenacity stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.
The next endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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, music, and art.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually 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 admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care 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 precious about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
