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In the quiet atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. On stage, ballet dancers can appear as mighty gods, yet often in person they are small. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the Royal Ballet School at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, especially the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

"Your breath is short, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

His next featured role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will walk the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow while performance. Yet in more comedic works, the test is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Mental Game and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel after a show, when he has pulled it off? "It feels pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Influences

His tenacity originated in youthful setbacks. Not doing well in competitions at school made him "vengeful!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could achieve. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he remembers.

An upcoming endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Breaking the rules is interesting, 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 loaded with substance, drawing inspiration from books, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Dance and Private Dynamic

He also favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal 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 was like Dirty Dancing." They are not usually matched on stage at their home company, which might be beneficial. "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 biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On Instagram, followers can see videos from his projects and images that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he care that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we work with, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he explains. He compares it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "eager for success." Has it lived up to his expectations? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of dancing ahead. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more kind with myself."