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Within the hushed atmosphere of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's carriage is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. On stage, ballet dancers can appear like mighty deities, yet frequently in person they are small. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With fine traits and intense eyes, there's a touch of Robert Pattinson about him.

An Apparent Rise to the Top

Now 31, Ball is enjoying the peak of a career that has advanced seamlessly. Growing up in Liverpool, he encountered minimal teasing for his early interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he moved directly into the company and was advanced annually, attaining the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial dramatic roles, especially the psychological angst found in Kenneth MacMillan's works.

"Your lungs are burning, your legs get heavy, but it’s really a neural fatigue."

Ball's next featured appearance is as himself, in an "In Conversation" series designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a dancer's craft. He will walk the audience through a part, demonstrating his cognitive workflow during execution. Yet in lighter works, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and After the Show Emotions

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

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. Yet a dance maker once remarked on a "sense of suffering in him." Is there? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a melancholy streak," he confesses. "I kind of enjoy pessimism sometimes. I've always felt that negativity has been an catalyst for good change."

Early Drivers and Artistic Influences

Ball's tenacity stemmed from youthful experiences. Not doing well in contests at school made him "driven!" This became fuel to demonstrate he could achieve. Discovering the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It flipped a switch, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

The next challenge is making his own dance works. In his view, "there's nothing wrong with." "Breaking the rules is interesting, but just acting that they’re not a reality any more – I don’t know how far you can go with that." He aims his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Personal Partnership

He additionally is interested in presenting dance in more intimate venues. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a past experience. "You’re so close to the audience. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a human, and they’re sweating.'"

Ball has created duets with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The degree of trust between them is clear. "We first practiced on a beach," he says of a audacious lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." The couple aren’t typically paired on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite strong-willed people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "Yet I feel like we’re each other’s favorite cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Physical Perception

On social media, followers can see clips from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he care that the response can be a bit objectifying? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very protective about it," he states. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be interpreted on multiple levels.

Ball describes his early self as "desperate for success." Did it lived up to his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different reality to the dreams you made as a child," he muses. He likely has about ten years of performing left. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."