Within the quiet atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain tee. On stage, dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely characters and pas de deux work. With fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
His upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a performer's art. He will guide the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental process while execution. Even in lighter ballets, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
How does he feel after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very active in general, but I do have a dark side," 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 Influences
Ball's determination originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became 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.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging 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 wants his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and art.
Intimate Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, fans can see videos from his dance films and photos that highlight a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on various ways.
Ball characterizes his early self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
