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In the hushed ambiance of a lounge near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball orders a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs defined beneath a simple tee. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful deities, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose height is one reason for his demand for princely characters and partnering. Possessing fine features and intense eyes, there's a hint of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Ascent to the Top

At 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he faced minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated directly into the troupe and was advanced each year, reaching the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has relished tackling meaty characters, particularly 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 upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will guide the audience through a role, demonstrating his mental process during performance. Yet in lighter works, the challenge is profound. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he notes.

The Mental Game and After the Show Emotions

How does he feel after a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he admits. "But because I'm trying to extract all the juice out of it, and get lost in the role, quite often I do feel embarrassed later. After an intense role I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, polite, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I am very active in general, but I do have a melancholy streak," he reveals. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Motivations and Artistic Influences

His tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not excelling in contests 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 changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he remembers.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking 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 loaded with substance, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and art.

Intimate Performance and Personal Dynamic

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

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree 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 paired on stage at their main theater, which might be healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he care that the response can be somewhat focused on appearance? 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 viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple ways.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it met his hopes? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the dreams you made as a young person," he reflects. He likely has another ten years of performing ahead. "I suppose in the future, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."