Within the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his demand for princely roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
An Apparent Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the crest of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological angst found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a performer's art. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Influences
Ball's determination stemmed from youthful setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
An upcoming challenge is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules 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 meaning, drawing ideas from literature, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
