Within the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, ballet dancers can appear like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly the emotional turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, showing his cognitive workflow while performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.
The Mental Struggle and Post-Performance Feelings
How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious later. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations
His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate 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. For Ball, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the rules is compelling, 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 filled with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.
Close-Up Dance and Personal Dynamic
He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps 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 cheerleader."
On Social Media and Bodily Image
On Instagram, fans can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on various ways.
Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of dancing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."
