In the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.
A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle
Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little teasing for his childhood passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a mental fatigue."
Ball's upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "Evening With" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, showing his mental workflow during execution. Yet in more comedic works, the challenge is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.
The Psychological Game and After the Show Feelings
What about following a show, when he has pulled it off? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, quite often I do feel embarrassed afterwards. After Mayerling I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."
Formative Motivations and Artistic Influences
His determination originated in early setbacks. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.
The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 substance, drawing inspiration from books, music, and painting.
Close-Up Performance and Private Dynamic
He additionally favors staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"
Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a audacious lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." The couple are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image
On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and photos that showcase a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a child," he reflects. He probably has another ten years of dancing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
