Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful deities, yet often offstage they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. With fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was promoted each year, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, particularly the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His next featured appearance is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his cognitive workflow during performance. Yet in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Early Motivations and Artistic Influences
His determination originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, 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 interesting, but just acting 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 filled with substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.
Intimate Performance and Private Partnership
He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple levels.
Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a different reality to the dreams you had as a child," he reflects. He likely has another decade of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
