🔗 Share this article

Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally upright, his arms defined beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can seem as mighty gods, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his demand for princely roles and partnering. Possessing delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "Evening With" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's art. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Even in lighter works, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Mental Struggle and After the Show Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. 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 dance maker once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations

Ball's tenacity originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel 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 obsessive," he recalls.

An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the conventions is compelling, but just acting 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 ideas from literature, compositions, and art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally is interested in staging dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

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 daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their home company, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his dance films and images that showcase a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be a bit 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 seen on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how life is a separate reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He probably has another decade of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."