Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. During performances, ballet dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet frequently offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his early passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial dramatic roles, especially 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 starring appearance is as himself, in an "Evening With" event aiming to offer intimate insights into a performer's craft. He will guide the audience through a part, showing his cognitive workflow during execution. Even in more comedic works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations
Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in contests 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 fanatical," he recalls.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just pretending 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 literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has created pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, which might be 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 Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his projects and photos that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be a bit focused on appearance? Not particularly. "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 various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
