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 straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty deities, yet often in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty characters, especially the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
Ball's upcoming featured appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Even in more comedic works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. Following Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic in general, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Inspirations
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
The next endeavor is creating his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions 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 aims his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from literature, music, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in more intimate venues. "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 person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal 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." They are not typically matched 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 admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing 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 feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
