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In the quiet ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. His posture is effortlessly straight-backed, his limbs muscular beneath a simple white T-shirt. On stage, dancers can seem as powerful gods, yet frequently offstage they are petite. This is not true for Ball, whose tall stature is one reason for his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With delicate traits and piercing eyes, there's a hint of a brooding actor about him.

A Seamless Rise to the Top

At 31, Ball is experiencing the crest of a career that has progressed smoothly. Raised in Liverpool, he faced little teasing for his childhood interest in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was advanced annually, reaching the top rank of principal in 2018. He has loved tackling substantial characters, particularly the emotional angst found in a famed choreographer's works.

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

Ball's next featured role is as himself, in an "In Conversation" event aiming to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will walk the crowd through a part, showing his mental workflow while performance. Even in more comedic ballets, the test is significant. "A classic ballet is one of the most demanding technically," he states.

The Psychological Struggle and Post-Performance Emotions

How does he feel following a show, when he has succeeded? "It's pretty good," he says. "However because I'm trying to squeeze all the emotion out of it, and get lost in the character, frequently I do feel embarrassed afterwards. Following an intense role I'm always thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is reflective, mild-mannered, and prone to laugh at himself. Yet a choreographer once observed on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite active usually, but I do have a dark side," he confesses. "I somewhat enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for good change."

Formative Drivers and Artistic Inspirations

Ball's tenacity originated in youthful experiences. Not excelling in competitions at school made him "driven!" This became 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 recalls.

The next endeavor is creating his own dance works. In his view, "organic movement has value." "Challenging 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 wants his work to be loaded with meaning, drawing ideas from books, compositions, and painting.

Close-Up Dance and Private Dynamic

He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller spaces. "It was just really thrilling," he says of a previous show. "You’re so near to the audience. I felt as if they were thinking: 'That’s a human, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his partner, fellow principal Mayara Magri. The degree of faith between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It resembled Dirty Dancing." They are not usually paired on stage at their main theater, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always hunky dory," he admits. "But I feel like we’re each other’s favorite supporter."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On social media, fans can see videos from his projects and images that highlight a athletic physique. Does he mind 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 explains. He relates it to seeing Michelangelo’s David—an object that can be seen on various levels.

Ball describes his early self as "eager for success." Did it met his hopes? "I am conscious of how life is a different thing to the aspirations you made as a child," he muses. He likely has another decade of dancing ahead. "I suppose in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."