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Within the hushed ambiance of a hotel bar near London's Royal Ballet, Matthew Ball requests a mint tea. The dancer's posture is effortlessly upright, his arms muscular beneath a plain white T-shirt. During performances, dancers can seem like powerful gods, yet frequently in person they are petite. Not so Ball, whose tall stature is part of his popularity for heroic roles and pas de deux work. With delicate features and intense eyes, there's a touch of a brooding actor about him.

An Apparent Rise 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 passion in ballet. Entering the esteemed training institution at 11, he graduated straight into the company and was promoted annually, reaching the highest position of principal in 2018. He has loved taking on meaty dramatic roles, especially the emotional turmoil found in a famed choreographer's ballets.

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

His upcoming starring role is in a talk, in an "In Conversation" event designed to offer behind-the-scenes perspectives into a performer's craft. He will guide the crowd through a role, showing his mental process during execution. Even in more comedic works, the challenge is profound. "Don Quixote is one of the toughest from a skill perspective," he states.

The Psychological Game and Post-Performance 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 thinking: God, what must people think?"

In person, Ball is thoughtful, mild-mannered, and quick to laugh at himself. But a dance maker once remarked on a "kind of suffering in him." Does this exist? "I'm quite energetic usually, but I do have a dark side," he reveals. "I kind of enjoy negativity sometimes. I've always felt that doubt has been an catalyst for positive change."

Early Motivations and Creative Inspirations

His determination stemmed from early experiences. Not excelling in contests at school made him "driven!" This became motivation to prove he could succeed. Reading the book *Mao's Last Dancer* was a "pivotal" moment. "It changed everything, it made me go a bit fanatical," he recalls.

An upcoming endeavor is making his own choreography. For Ball, "there's nothing wrong with." "Challenging the rules 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 aims his work to be filled with meaning, drawing inspiration from books, music, and art.

Intimate Dance and Personal Partnership

He also is interested in presenting dance in smaller venues. "It was just really exciting," he says of a previous experience. "You’re so close to the viewers. I felt as if they were realizing: 'That’s a person, and they’re perspiring.'"

Ball has made pieces with his girlfriend, fellow lead dancer Mayara Magri. The level of trust between them is evident. "We tried it out on the beach first," he says of a daring lift. "It was like Dirty Dancing." They are not typically matched on stage at their home company, which is perhaps healthy. "We’re both quite determined people, so it’s not always smooth sailing," he notes. "But I feel like we’re each other’s biggest cheerleader."

Regarding Instagram and Bodily Image

On social media, followers can see videos from his dance films and photos that showcase a sculpted physique. Does he mind that the engagement can be somewhat focused on appearance? Not really. "The body is just what we use, so I don’t feel very precious about it," he explains. He compares it to viewing Michelangelo’s David—something that can be seen on multiple ways.

Ball characterizes his younger self as "desperate for success." Did it met his expectations? "I feel very aware of how reality is a different reality to the dreams you made as a child," he reflects. He likely has about decade of dancing left. "I guess in the time to come, I want to be a bit more gentle with myself."