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Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is naturally straight-backed, his arms muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like mighty gods, yet often offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his demand for heroic characters and partnering. Possessing delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Raised in Liverpool, he encountered little ridicule for his early passion in ballet. Joining the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved straight into the troupe and was advanced each year, attaining the highest position of lead dancer in 2018. He has loved taking on substantial characters, particularly the psychological turmoil found in Kenneth MacMillan's ballets.

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

His upcoming starring role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes insights into a dancer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a role, demonstrating his mental workflow while execution. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the toughest technically," he notes.

The Mental Struggle 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 squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get immersed in the role, frequently I do feel embarrassed later. After Mayerling I'm always like: God, what must people think?"

Offstage, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer previously observed on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I am very energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an instigator for good change."

Formative Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His tenacity originated in early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" It was motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "watershed" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit obsessive," he recalls.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging the conventions is interesting, but just pretending that they’re not a reality 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 literature, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Performance and Personal Partnership

He additionally favors presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created duets with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They aren’t typically matched on stage at their main theater, 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 cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a sculpted form. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat objectifying? Not particularly. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various ways.

Ball describes his younger self as "eager for success." Did it lived up to his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a separate reality to the aspirations you made as a young person," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."