Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is naturally straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple tee. On stage, dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose height is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Ascent to the Top
At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, showing his mental process during performance. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a performance, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he says. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."
Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations
His tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.
An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging 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 art.
Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps beneficial. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."
On Social Media and Physical Image
On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind 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 protective about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.
Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a young person," he muses. He probably has about ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
