Within the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His carriage is naturally upright, his limbs defined beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can appear like powerful deities, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely characters and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.
An Apparent Rise to the Top
Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has relished taking on meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.
"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."
His next starring appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer intimate insights into a performer's art. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his cognitive process during performance. Even in lighter ballets, the test is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.
The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings
What about after a show, when he has succeeded? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, quite often I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: Wow, what must people think?"
Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for positive change."
Formative Drivers and Creative Inspirations
His determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "vengeful!" This became fuel to prove he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.
The next challenge is creating his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the conventions is compelling, but just pretending that they’re not a thing any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from literature, music, and painting.
Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic
He also is interested in staging dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really thrilling," 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 pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The level 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." The couple aren’t usually matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."
Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception
On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and images that highlight a athletic form. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various levels.
Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."
