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Within the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for princely characters and partnering. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the peak of a career that has advanced smoothly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

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

His next starring appearance is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow while execution. Even in lighter works, the challenge is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance Feelings

How does he feel following a performance, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to extract all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel self-conscious afterwards. After an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. But a choreographer previously observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's determination stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to demonstrate he could succeed. 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 endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "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 wants his work to be filled with substance, drawing inspiration from literature, compositions, and painting.

Intimate Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a past 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 created duets with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t usually matched on stage at their main theater, 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 supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Perception

On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and photos that showcase a athletic physique. Does he care that the engagement can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality to the aspirations you had as a young person," he reflects. He likely has about ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."