In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose height 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.
A Seamless Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His upcoming starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's art. He will walk the crowd through a part, demonstrating his cognitive process during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate 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 recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is compelling, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.
Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership
He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "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 home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the engagement 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it met his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a separate thing to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
