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Within the hushed atmosphere of a lounge near London's prestigious dance company, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly upright, his arms defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, ballet dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet often offstage they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose height is part of his popularity for princely roles and pas de deux work. Possessing fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Pinnacle

Now 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the Royal Ballet School at 11, he moved straight into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the top rank of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved tackling meaty dramatic roles, particularly the psychological turmoil found in a famed choreographer's works.

"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 intimate perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his mental process while execution. Yet in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he notes.

The Psychological Game and After the Show Emotions

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the juice out of it, and get immersed in the character, frequently I do feel self-conscious later. After Mayerling I'm always like: Wow, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, polite, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once remarked on a "kind 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 doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Influences

Ball's tenacity originated in early setbacks. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could succeed. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming challenge is making his own choreography. In his view, "organic movement has value." "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 aims his work to be loaded with substance, drawing ideas from literature, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Partnership

He additionally is interested in staging dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so near to the viewers. 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 trust between them is evident. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps 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 cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On Instagram, fans can see clips from his dance films and photos that highlight a athletic form. Does he mind that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be interpreted on various ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "desperate for success." Has it lived up to his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate thing to the dreams you had as a child," he muses. He probably has about decade of performing left. "I guess in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."